It is shown that real-time RCS (radar cross section) computation is possible with a high-performance graphics workstation. Physical optics (PO) and physical theory of diffraction (PTD) approximation are computed using the hardware capabilities of a graphics accelerator. Real-time computation is achieved through graphical processing of an image of the target present at the workstation screen. First-order reflections are obtained by rendering the target with a local illumination algorithm, and multiple scattering with a global illumination one. A computer-aided design package for geometric modeling of solids has been used for modeling target geometry. The target is described as a collection of parametric surfaces, defined with two-dimensional NURBS (nonuniform rational B-splines). Parametric surface modeling of the target imposes smaller storage memory and CPU time requirements than the faceting approach, and the modeled surface adjusts more accurately to the real target surface.

Peer Reviewed