A calibration technique for laboratory type polarimetric, bistatic instrumentation radars is presented. It describes the errors induced by the standard radiation transfer approach (I-SRT) in a way similar to that for the monostatic case. A 12-term error correction and absolute polarimetric calibration is performed with two external reference targets. Only the polarimetric bistatic reference of the first target must be theoretically determined. The scattering reference of the second target is determined by a measurement during the calibration process (single reference calibration). The simulation of a third cross-polarization measurement is performed by an antenna rotation and a remeasurement of the second target. Thus all data are gained for the determination of the error terms and measurements of unknown objects can be full polarimetrically calibrated. The procedures are shown for an adapted dihedral corner reflector. Misalignment errors are discussed.>

The authors present a scheme for absolute calibration of a polarimetric scattering range. All free-space polarimetric radar cross section (RCS) and antenna measurements are subject to errors like coupling and residual reflections. The modeling of these errors results in a 12-term error correction. The procedure for the error correction with three linear independent calibration targets and an isolation measurement is shown. Based on network analysis, a single reference calibration is introduced. This single reference calibration requires the precise calculation of only one reference target. As single references, spheres or flat plates are used. The references of the other targets are determined by the calibration procedure. The single reference calibration is suitable for all narrow and wideband, complex, polarimetric RCS, and antenna measurements. Measurements are shown for different targets which demonstrate the benefits of the single reference calibration.>