Full polarimetric radar for concealed weapons detection: Experimental determination and simulation of the Huynen target parameters for the human torso

© 2019 SPIE. The measurements of the human torso for two individuals are presented via the generation of the Huynen polarisation fork technique and plotted on the Poincaré sphere, to ascertain characteristics that could be used to remove the effects of the torso when concealed weapons are placed against it. Measurements are taken with a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) mono-static millimetre wave full polarimetric radar, operating at k-band (18 to 26 GHz). The system has been designed to explore the feasibility of using full polarimetry for the detection of concealed weapons, and person borne improvised explosive devices (PBIED). The philosophy of this scheme is a means to extract the maximum information content from a target which is in the nominally single spatial pixel (sometimes sub-pixel) configuration of stand-off (tens of metres) and crowd surveillance scenarios. The radar comprises a vector network analyser (VNA) and an orthomode transducer