Page "Radar" Paragraph 30

Short radio waves reflect from curves and corners in a way similar to glint from a rounded piece of glass.

The most reflective targets for short wavelengths have 90 ° angles between the reflective surfaces.

A corner reflector consists of three flat surfaces meeting like the inside corner of a box.

The structure will reflect waves entering its opening directly back to the source.

They are commonly used as radar reflectors to make otherwise difficult-to-detect objects easier to detect.

Corner reflectors on boats, for example, make them more detectable to avoid collision or during a rescue.

For similar reasons, objects intended to avoid detection will not have inside corners or surfaces and edges perpendicular to likely detection directions, which leads to " odd " looking stealth aircraft.

These precautions do not completely eliminate reflection because of diffraction, especially at longer wavelengths.

Half wavelength long wires or strips of conducting material, such as chaff, are very reflective but do not direct the scattered energy back toward the source.

The extent to which an object reflects or scatters radio waves is called its radar cross section.