Doppler Weather Radar Research and Development
NSSL Special Project – Development of Mobile C-Band Dual-Polarization Weather Radar to Evaluate Polarimetric Designs for the Multi-Mission Phased Array Radar and for Kinematic and Microphysical Studies of Storms
Funding Type: CIMMS Task III
Objectives
Develop a dual-polarimetric upgrade to existing SMART radar.
Accomplishments
Dual-polarimetric data will improve QPE, especially in land-falling hurricane
environments. A project has begun to upgrade existing the NSSL/OU/Texas
A&M/Texas Tech SMART radar with a dual-polarimetric capability.
Design specifications have been reviewed and updated and bids have
been submitted for acquiring project hardware.
A literature review has been conducted of all papers written on C-band radar usage to study bulk precipitation identification and interpretation of the signatures. In addition, the one phase (ice or liquid) Tmatrix model and the mixed phase (mix of ice and liquid) T-matrix models provided by Dr. Bringi are being modified to be used with a radar emulator with cloud model information to see if cloud models can produce observed radar signatures besides just reflectivity. Also, a fuzzy logic program for bulk hydrometeor identification is being constructed for use to deduce bulk hydrometeor types from polarimetric radar data.
This project is ongoing.