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A numerical time-domain technique known as the transmission line matrix (TLM) method is used to analyze a ground penetrating radar (GPR) concept known historically as balanced bridge. This GPR concept is a dielectric anomaly (mine) detection sensor which operates in the UHF frequency band. This mine sensor consists of two receive broadband antennas separated by a single center transmit antenna. Traditionally, if care is taken in the construction of the antennas, the direct coupling and ground reflection energies are combined and nulled out by a hardware coupler when the sensor configuration is over homogeneous soil. When one of the two receiving antennas is over a dielectric anomaly (mine), the differenced energies from the two receiving antennas no longer produces a null and a peaked response is observed. This mine sensing technique has performed well under experimental tests at Fort Belvoir and Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. Testing results, at different sites using different mine types, have indicated the sensor's performance in terms of probability of detection and false-alarm rates. The TLM method is used to describe the balanced bridge mine detector's response to targets and clutter as well as its unique capabilities in an attempt to shed light into occurring fundamental wave interactions.
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