Weather Radar Technology Beyond NEXRAD (2002) / Chapter Skim
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2. The Current System
2. The Current System
Pages 12-22
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From page 12... ...
These systems include the FAA's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) and short- and long-range surveillance radars [Air Route Surveillance Radar systems (ARSR)
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From page 13... ...
The "clear air" patterns cover the lowest layers of the atmosphere in 10 minutes and provide such things as wind profiles and indications of sea breeze fronts or storm outflow boundaries that could trigger convective activity. The "precipitation" and "severe weather" patterns cover the full depth of storm activity in 5 to 6 minutes and provide more frequent updates on evolving storms.
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From page 14... ...
Among these are: AWIPS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System CIWS Corridor Integrated Weather System ITWS Integrated Terminal Weather System OPUP U.S. Air Force Open Principal User Processor WATADS Algorithm Testing and Display System WSDDM Weather Support to Deicing Decision Making These and similar systems are expected to mature dramatically and grow in use over the next two decades as the science of meteorology and the technology of information processing and dissemination continue to advance and merge with social needs for improved weather information and forecasting.
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From page 15... ...
The Service also provides essential weather information in support of the nation's river and flood prediction program as well as in support of civilian aviation, agriculture, forestry and marine operations. The national information database and infrastructure formed by NWS data and products, can be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and the global community.
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From page 16... ...
These typically include organizations with the following designations: agriculture, environmental protection, conservation and natural resources, fish and game commissions, transportation, emergency management, and water resources. Numerous academic programs within the university community work with NEXRAD weather data in their research; these include departments or programs that represent studies in the fields of meteorology, atmospheric sciences, climatology, physics, chemistry, air pollution, hydrology, earth sciences, geography, geology, transportation, civil engineering, electrical engineering, geophysics, signal processing, computer science, computer engineering, natural resources, agriculture, forestry, economics, transportation, aviation, environmental science, 4The NWS is part of NOAA, but there are many other organizations within NOAA that independently utilize and rely on weather radar data and related products (e.g., National Climatic Data Center)
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From page 17... ...
As access and understanding of the use of NEXRAD weather data have grown, so has the list of users of this information within the private sector. Examples include broadcasters, commercial aviation, agriculture, trucking, recreation providers, economic forecasters, the insurance industry, and energy companies.
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From page 18... ...
The primary causes of data voids are beam overshoot, cone of silence near the radar, beam blockage due to obstructions, gaps in vertical coverage, low signal strength, data masking due to data corruption, and planned and unplanned outages. Overshoot refers to the void caused by the elevation of the lowest beam above the surface, which results from a combination of the elevation angle of the lowest tilt and the curvature of the earth.
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From page 19... ...
Modifications to NEXRAD such as a polarimetric capability should help with the precipitation-rate problem, but the vertical-profile problem will remain ubiquitous. The national coverage, improved accuracy, and rainfall estimation capabilities of the NEXRAD system have advanced the practice of hydrologic forecasting and water resource management.
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From page 20... ...
But in hindsight, more comprehensive field testing covering a wider variety of regional and climatic conditions earlier in the system development process would have revealed some of the concerns soon enough to allow earlier and more effective action to mitigate their impacts. Recommendation The development program for the next generation weather surveillance radar system should incorporate adequate provision for beta testing in the field in locations with diverse climatological and geographic situations.
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From page 21... ...
availability of a modern Doppler spectral processing platform including digital receivers for improved data fidelity, (2) a provision for range-velocity ambiguity mitigation techniques using phase coding and dual PRT waveforms, (3)
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From page 22... ...
Indeed, plans for the future system could well include a similar program for continual evolution. Recommendation Near Term The Radar Operations Center and the NEXRAD Product Improvement Program mechanisms should be extended to permit continual improvement to the NEXRAD system.
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