| We inhabit an environment of electromagnetic (EM) waves. The waves within the EM spectrum---whether light, radio, or microwaves---all obey the same physical laws. A band in the spectrum is designated to the microwave frequencies (30MHz--300GHz), at which radar systems operate. The precise modeling of the scattered EM-ields about a target, as well as the numerical prediction of the radar return is the crux of the computational electromagnetics (CEM) problems. The signature or return from a target observed by radar is commonly provided in the form of radar cross section (RCS). Incidentally, the efforts in the reduction of such return forms the basis of stealth aircraft design. The object of this dissertation is to extend Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method to solve numerically the Maxwell equations for scatterings from perfect electric conductor (PEC) objects. The governing equations are derived by writing the Maxwell equations in conservation-law form for scattered field quantities. The transverse magnetic (TM) and the transverse electric (TE) waveforms of the Maxwell equations are considered. A finite-element scheme is developed with proper representations for the electric and magnetic fluxes at a cell interface to account for variations in properties, in both space and time. A characteristic sub-path integration process, known as the "Riemann solver" is involved. An explicit Runge-Kutta Discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) upwind scheme, which is fourth-order accurate in time and second-order in space, is employed to solve the TM and TE equations. Arbitrary cross-sectioned bodies are modeled, around which computational grids using random triangulation are generated. The RKDG method, in its development stage, was constructed and studied for solving hyperbolic conservation equations numerically. It was later extended to multidimensional nonlinear systems of conservation laws. The algorithms are described, including the formulations and treatments to the numerical fluxes, degrees of freedom, boundary conditions, and other implementation issues. The computational solution amounts to a near-field solution in form of contour plot and one extending from the scatterer to a far-field boundary located a few wavelengths away. Near-field to far-field transformation utilizing the Green's function is performed to obtain the bistatic radar cross section information. Results are presented for scatterings from a series of two-dimensional objects, including circular and square cylinders, ogive and NACA airfoils. Also, scatterings from more complex geometries such as cylindrical and rectangular cavitations are simulated. Exact solutions for selected cases are compared to the computational results and demonstrate excellent accuracy and efficiency in the RKDG calculations. In the whole, its ease and flexibility to incorporate the characteristic-based schemes for the flux integrals between cell interfaces, and the compact formulation allowing direct application to the boundary elements without modification are some of the admired features of the DG method. |
