A Dual-polarized X-band Patch Antenna Sub-array with Low Cross-polarization for Weather Radar Applications

A planar dual-polarized sub-array antenna configuration featuring low cross-polarization is presented. Meaningful dual-polarized radar estimations suitable for radar meteorology require a cross-polarization discrimination in excess of 30 dB to reach a differential reflectivity accuracy of 0.1 dB. The proposed configuration meets this requirement with a simple combination of imaged and differential feeding and candidates as a cost-effective sub-array for short-range X-band weather radars.