Brightness Temperature Computation of Microwave Calibration Targets

A rigorous numerical technique to compute the brightness temperature of arbitrarily shaped microwave calibration targets is presented. The proposed method allows the brightness temperature of calibration targets to be investigated depending on frequency, absorber material, geometry, antenna pattern, field incidence, and temperature environment. We have validated the accuracy and studied the numerical complexity of the approach by means of analytical reference solutions. Fundamental brightness temperature investigations of pyramid absorbers are shown for various thermal environments in different frequency bands between 20 and 450 GHz. Based on these analyses, a novel pyramid geometry was designed, which features a superior electromagnetic and thermal performance compared with conventional pyramid designs. Using the theoretical findings, we have developed reduced-order models of pyramid targets for rapid brightness temperature studies.