Radó

Radó is a term commonly associated with radar, a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the range, bearing, altitude, and sometimes velocity of objects. The word radar is an acronym for Radio Detecting and Ranging, coined in the early 20th century to describe these systems.

Principle and operation

Radar systems transmit radio energy and listen for echoes from targets. By measuring the time delay between transmission and reception, range can be calculated. Doppler processing reveals radial velocity by detecting frequency shifts in the received signal. Different waveform strategies, such as pulsed or continuous-wave techniques, trade off factors like range resolution and sensitivity. Modern radars often use digital signal processing, phased-array antennas, and, in some cases, synthetic aperture techniques for high-resolution imaging.

Types and components

Common radar types include pulsed radar, continuous-wave radar, frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar, weather radar, marine radar, and aviation radar. Core components are a transmitter, an antenna system, a receiver, and a signal processor with a display. Phased-array antennas, radar jamming resistance, and adaptive algorithms have expanded capabilities, including tracking multiple targets and generating detailed images.

History and applications

Early experiments in the 1900s laid the groundwork, with significant development in the 1930s–1940s that made radar decisive in World War II. Since then, radar has become essential in air traffic control, weather forecasting, maritime navigation, space exploration, and military applications. In automotive technology, radar is used for collision avoidance and adaptive cruise control. Limitations include atmospheric interference, clutter, target stealth, and occasional susceptibility to jamming.

See also: Doppler radar, weather radar, phased array, synthetic aperture radar.