Abstract
Line source radiation problems have been previously characterized by numerical integration of the antenna pattern to determine the radiated power and corresponding antenna performance parameters. A new methodology based on autocorrelation principles is presented. The new methodology enables determination of the radiated power without a priori knowledge of the antenna pattern. The new methodology is applied to canonical line source radiation problems. Closed form expressions for the radiated power are then determined for a problem that heretofore has not been derived. The expressions are then used to validate the veracity of the method by performing comparisons with canonical results. Additionally, absolute limits on the performance of line source radiators are presented. The limits are developed in conjunction with Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and the Chu limit. The limits facilitate a deeper understanding of the factors effecting antenna performance and serve as the foundation for the development of the new methodology.