Definition
The ability of a radar system to distinguish between two targets that are at the same range but at slightly different bearings (angles) from the antenna. Beam resolution depends on the width of the radar beam: a narrower beam can separate two closely spaced targets, while a wider beam will display them as a single return.
Plain English
How well a radar can tell apart two objects that are the same distance away but sitting side by side. A sharper, narrower radar beam can see them as two separate things; a wider beam blurs them into one blob on the screen.
Context Anchor
Seen in radar discussions, especially weather radar, airborne radar, and air traffic control radar displays.
Derivation
Beam refers to the focused cone of radio energy the radar antenna sends out. Resolution comes from the Latin resolutio, meaning to break apart or separate — the same root used in screen resolution, where finer detail means you can separate smaller features.
Why Pilots Care
It directly affects a controller's or pilot's ability to maintain safe separation when targets are close together.
Analogy
Think of shining a wide flashlight beam at two posts in the dark. If the beam is too wide, both posts may look like one lit-up area; a narrower beam makes it easier to see that there are two separate posts.
Intuition Check
Beam resolution is not just how sharp the screen looks. It is the radar’s ability to separate side-by-side targets in direction.
Example Sentence 1
The narrow beam of the new weather radar gave it better beam resolution, allowing the crew to see a clear gap between two thunderstorm cells.
Example Sentence 2
Older radars with limited beam resolution sometimes showed close traffic as a single target.