Triple-frequency radar for cloud and precipitation microphysics research

Author

Majurec, N. ; Sekelsky, S.M. ; Schaubert, D.H. ; Hong, Y. ; Rutledge, S.A. ; Stephens, G.L. ; Heymsfield, A.

Author_Institution

Microwave Remote Sensing Lab., Massachusetts Univ., Amherst, MA, USA

fYear

2003

fDate

1-3 Oct. 2003

Firstpage

18

Lastpage

21

Abstract

The University of Massachusetts (UMass), Colorado State University (CSU) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) are collaborating to develop an advanced multifrequency radar (MFR) system for studying clouds and precipitation, which should become operational in 2004. This highly portable radar consists of three polarimetric Doppler subsystems operating at Ku-band (13.4 GHz), Ka-band (35.6 GHz) and W-band (95 GHz), a programmable scanning pedestal, and a unique single aperture antenna that generates colocated matched beams at each frequency. This combination of frequencies allows measurement of a wide range of atmospheric targets including weakly reflecting clouds and precipitation.

Keywords

Doppler radar; aperture antennas; atmospheric measuring apparatus; atmospheric precipitation; clouds; meteorological radar; microwave antennas; millimetre wave antennas; multifrequency antennas; radar antennas; radar polarimetry; 13.4 GHz; 35.6 GHz; 95 GHz; Colorado State University; Ka-band; Ku-band; National Center for Atmospheric Research; University of Massachusetts; W-band; antenna matched beam; atmospheric target measurement; cloud microphysics; cloud reflection; multifrequency radar system; polarimetric Doppler subsystem; precipitation microphysics research; programmable scanning pedestal antenna; single aperture antenna; triple-frequency radar; Airborne radar; Clouds; Doppler radar; Frequency; Laboratories; Radar antennas; Radar measurements; Radar remote sensing; Radar scattering; Spaceborne radar;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Applied Electromagnetics and Communications, 2003. ICECom 2003. 17th International Conference on

Print_ISBN

953-6037-39-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICECOM.2003.1290944

Filename

1290944