lobe

From Glossary of Meteorology
In an antenna pattern, a region of local maximum in the emitted intensity. The strongest lobe is in the pointing direction of a directional antenna and is called the main lobe.

The configuration of lobes is determined by three factors: 1) wavelength; 2) geometrical properties of the antenna and feed system; and 3) mutual interference between the direct and reflected rays for an antenna situated above a reflecting surface. The sidelobes or minor lobes are an unavoidable consequence of the finite size of the antenna. Though undesirable, they ordinarily contain much less power than the main lobe.
See antenna pattern.

Copyright 2024 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.