N.N. Olyunin, V.V. Sazonov

The approach based on discrimination of linear spaces of the Jones vectors describing waves, propagating in opposite directions, is utilized in the article. This approach makes it possible to make the clue relations of radar polarimetry harmonious and universal. From this viewpoint some aspects of radar polarimetry are considered, both well known and fundamental, and not considered before. Two typical radar problems and two ways of polarization bases choice, convenient for these problems, are discussed. The law of transformation of vector coordinates after complex conjugation is derived. The reciprocity relation for the Jones vectors of incident and scattered waves is formulated in vector form. Two coordinate forms of this relation are obtained for the considered radar problems. Two ways are considered for the scattering matrix diagonalization and finding scattering operator bases-independent characteristics: congruence transformation (traditional way) and similarity transformation. The peculiarities of the scattering operator invariants obtained via these two ways are clarified. It is noted that there is no principal difference between these two ways of diagonalization, but the obtained characteristics of the scattering operator have distinctive physical sence. One more way of the polarization bases choice for the scattering matrix is considered and the generalization of the BSA and FSA agreements, used in the polarimetric literature, is proposed