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From: wiml@milton.u.washington.edu (William Lewis)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: R.A.M. (was Re: Police Radar Frequency Info)
Message-ID: <1991Jun28.032521.15302@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 28 Jun 91 03:25:21 GMT
References: <2003@ole.UUCP> <458@aplcomm.JHUAPL.EDU> <4189@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP>
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Lines: 19

In article <4189@ssc-bee.ssc-vax.UUCP> simnet@ssc-vax.UUCP (Mark R Poulson) writes:
>The version of this story I heard was that they detected the "emissions that
>were necessary for an aircraft to fly at low altitudes". I have no idea which
>emissions they were referring to (or even if the press got it correct), and
>whether these emissions would be "on" in wartime or not.

     Perhaps they were referring to the IR signature. The engine exhaust
is significantly hotter than the surrounding air, and so emits infrared
radiation that can presumably be detected. It would be pretty hard to
turn this "off", though I bet people are trying ...

     Someone else pointed out in this newsgroup that the bow wave
(shock wave for supersonic craft?) is detectable by radar. 


-- 
 wiml@milton.acs.washington.edu       Seattle, Washington   
     (William Lewis)   |  47 41' 15" N   122 42' 58" W  
 "Just remember, wherever you go ... you're stuck there."