Dual-Doppler radar three-dimensional wind field retrieval software system and applications

Doppler weather radar is a powerful tool to investigate the structure of the convective weather system, because it can provide fine temporal and spatial resolution data. The Doppler velocity is very useful to study the dynamic structure of the severe weather system. But it is more difficult to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) kinematic structure of the severe weather system, because the Doppler velocity is the radial velocity along the weather radar antenna. The dual-Doppler weather radar 3D wind field retrieval algorithm can provide more accurate 3D wind field. It is a very important tool to investigate the 3D fine dynamic structure of the convective weather system. Since 1998, China began to setup the Doppler weather radar network in mainland. Some dual-Doppler radar networks have been established. It is very necessary to develop the dual-Doppler weather radar 3D wind field retrieval software system. It is not only important to investigate the 3D fine kinematic structure of the convective weather system, but also important to improve the nowcasting of the convective weather system. This paper develops the dual-Doppler weather radar wind retrieval software system for the first time in China mainland. It can retrieve the 3D wind filed from the dual-Doppler weather radar volume scan data in real time. The 3D wind field has high temporal and spatial resolution. It is very useful for studying the 3D fine kinematic structure of the convective weather system. The architecture and implement of the software system is presented. The 3D wind field of the snowstorm and squall line were retrieved with the dual-Doppler radar data for the first time in China mainland. It shows that this software system is very useful for studying the 3D fine structure of the severe weather system and improving the severe weather system nowcasting precision.