Depolarization ratio

Depolarization is generally a change in the polarization of an electromagnetic wave by influences such as reflection or diffraction of the wave around obstacles.

In light of this change acts as a reduction in the degree of polarization during the propagation. On radio waves and microwaves, the individual components of different polarization are superimposed back to a common direction of polarization that differs from the originally transmitted polarization direction and therefore can be measured as a rotation of the polarization direction.

This effect is used, for example, polarimetric precipitation radars as a measurement of the depolarization ratio in both linear polarization (as English linear depolarization ratio, LDR) as well as circular polarization (as english Circular depolarization ratio CDR) to the from the change in polarization conclusions on to close backscattering objects. The depolarization ratio is the ratio of the cross-polarized component of the wave to share with the original polarization.