Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler

Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler is a type of Doppler radar used for weather forecasting and meteorology, developed by Raytheon Technologies and Lockheed Martin in collaboration with the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The system is designed to provide high-resolution weather radar imagery and Doppler shift data to support severe weather warning and flash flood forecasting, as used by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. The development of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler was influenced by the work of Jules Bianchi and Christian Doppler, and built upon the principles of Radar astronomy and Radio astronomy.

Introduction

The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler is a phased array radar system that uses Doppler effect to measure the velocity of precipitation particles, such as rain, hail, and tornadoes, as studied by Torro scale and Enhanced Fujita scale. This information is used to predict the location, intensity, and movement of severe thunderstorms and other weather phenomena, as forecasted by the Storm Prediction Center and the National Hurricane Center. The system is also used to detect tornadoes and other mesocyclones, as identified by the Tornado Project and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. The development of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Office of Naval Research, and has been used in conjunction with satellite imagery from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite and Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite.

History

The development of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler began in the 1980s, as a collaboration between the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, with support from the United States Air Force and the United States Navy. The system was designed to replace the older Weather Surveillance Radar-1957 and Weather Surveillance Radar-1974 systems, which were limited in their ability to detect severe weather and predict tornadoes, as experienced during the Tri-State Tornado and the Joplin tornado. The first Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system was installed in 1990 at the National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma, and was used to support the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory. The system was later upgraded to include Dual-polarization radar capability, as developed by the University of Oklahoma and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Technical Specifications

The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system consists of a parabolic antenna and a transceiver unit, which uses a klystron amplifier to generate a radio frequency signal, as designed by Varian Medical Systems and CPI International. The system operates at a frequency of 2.7-3.0 GHz, and has a beamwidth of 1-2 degrees, as measured by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The system uses a pulse repetition frequency of 300-1200 Hz, and has a maximum range of 460 km, as certified by the Federal Communications Commission. The system is also equipped with a signal processor unit, which uses fast Fourier transform algorithms to analyze the Doppler shift data, as developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology.

Operational Use

The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system is used by the National Weather Service to support weather forecasting and severe weather warning operations, as coordinated by the National Weather Service Office of Operational Systems and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. The system is also used by the Federal Aviation Administration to support air traffic control and aviation weather forecasting, as provided by the Aviation Weather Center and the National Weather Service Aviation Division. The system is operated by trained meteorologists and radar technicians, who use the system to analyze weather radar imagery and Doppler shift data to predict the location, intensity, and movement of severe weather systems, as taught by the National Weather Service Training Center and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.

Upgrades and Modernization

The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system has undergone several upgrades and modernization efforts over the years, including the addition of Dual-polarization radar capability and the implementation of new signal processing algorithms, as developed by the University of Colorado Boulder and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. The system has also been upgraded to include phased array radar technology, which allows for more precise control over the radar beam and improved resolution, as designed by the MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The system is currently being replaced by the Phased Array Radar system, which offers improved resolution and accuracy, as developed by the Lockheed Martin and the Northrop Grumman.

Impact and Legacy

The Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system has had a significant impact on weather forecasting and severe weather warning operations, as recognized by the American Meteorological Society and the National Academy of Sciences. The system has been used to predict the location, intensity, and movement of severe weather systems, including tornadoes, hurricanes, and blizzards, as documented by the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The system has also been used to support emergency management and disaster response efforts, as coordinated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard. The development of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988, Doppler system has also led to advances in radar technology and signal processing, as applied by the NASA and the European Space Agency. Category:Radar systems