Patent ID: 6603422
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: G01S

Abstract:
A ground penetrating radar (GPR) antenna system for locating objects in an underground medium, specifically for determining their direction as well as their depth from the radar antenna position, comprising:(a) a special hemispherically-shaped dielectric dome, having a relative dielectric constant (ER) which is substantially equal to that of the underground medium of interest, for placement between the microwave horn antenna and the underground medium; (b) a moldable putty, having an ER substantially equal to that of the underground medium of interest, consisting of a mixture of lime and petroleum jelly in proper proportions, for use in roughly smoothing the surface of the underground medium by filling in the deeper depressions; (c) a malleable mixture of tiny glass spheres and petroleum jelly, mixed in such proportions as to achieve an ER substantially equal to that of the underground medium, for placement between the roughly smoothed surface of the underground medium and the flat side of the hemispheric dome; (d) a conical horn-type of microwave antenna with its aperture shaped to fit against the curved surface of the hemispheric dome described in claim 1(a); (e) a concave-convex lens for placement inside the aperture of the microwave horn antenna of claim 1(d), having an ER substantially equal to that of the hemispheric dome, for correction of the near-in focusing effect of the dome. (f) a microwave horn-antenna completely filled (including the Coax-Waveguide Transistion) with a dielectric material having an ER substantially equal to that used in the hemispheric dome of claim 1(a). (g) a microwave horn-antenna, with reflector, completely filled with a dielectric material having an ER substantially equal to that of which the hemispheric dome of claim 1(a) is made.