Everything about Corner Reflector totally explained
A
corner reflector is a
retroreflector consisting of three mutually perpendicular, intersecting flat surfaces, which reflects
electromagnetic waves back towards the source. The three intersecting surfaces often have square shapes. This is also known as a
corner cube.
Such devices are often used as
radar targets or markers and are often employed on
ships and, especially,
lifeboats;
Francis Rogallo invented a
target kite
incorporating corner reflectors. These normally consist of three conducting metallic surfaces or screens perpendicular to one another. In
optics, corner reflectors typically consist of three
mirrors or reflective
prisms which return an incident
light beam in the opposite direction. Arrays of such retroreflectors are used in
bicycle reflectors,
automobile tail lights and as targets for
laser range finding. Microscopic corner reflector structures can be incorporated into reflective paint for increased visibility at night, although
retroreflective spherical beads are more common for this purpose.
A
directional antenna using two mutually intersecting conducting flat surfaces is also considered to be a type of corner reflector.
Corner reflectors can also occur accidentally.
Tower blocks with
balconies are often accidental corner reflectors for sound and return a distinctive echo to an observer making a sharp noise, such as a hand clap, nearby. Similarly, in radar interpretation, an object that has multiple reflections from smooth surfaces produces a radar return of greater magnitude than might be expected from the physical size of the object. This effect was put to use on the
ADM-20 Quail, a small missile which had the same
radar cross section as a
B-52.
NASA has put several corner reflectors on the
Moon, for use in laser interferometry to measure the Moon's orbit more precisely than was possible before. The reflector was hand machined by Silicon Valley engineering manager
Wayne Rosing, who also grinds telescope mirrors.
Further Information
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