RADAR: Next and After Next

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RADARNext and After Next

• Jeff Kimpel
• NWS Corporate Board Meeting
• August 8, 2001

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Proposed WSR-88D TIP

• NOW Open Systems
• NEXT Dual-Polarization
• AFTER NEXT Phased Array Radar
• The hero a lowly radar called the 88-D,
  . making an unambiguous case indeed of
  government improving lives by saving them.
  USA Today editorial, May 6, 1999.

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DUAL POLARIZATIONRADAR
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Dual-PolarizationImproved Rainfall Estimates
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Precipitation Type
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Snow vs. Rain (?)
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Benefits of Dual-Polarization Radar

• Improved estimation of rain and snow rates.
• Discrimination of hail from rain and possibly
  gauging hail size.
• Identification of precipitation type in winter
  storms.
• Identification of aircraft icing conditions.
• Identification of anomalous propagation (AP)
• Identification of other scatters (birds, bugs,
  chaff)

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Phased Array Radar Support

• U.S. Navy (10M), SPY-1 antenna (9.4M in kind)
• NOAA/NWS - WSR-88D transmitter (1.0M)
• NOAA/OAR (1.0M, EP)
• Lockheed Martin (1.0M in kind, EP)
• U. of Oklahoma (1.5M, EP)
• FAA (3.0M, RD)
• Navy/NOAA/FAA MOU
• NOAA/OU MOU

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Phased Array Radar (PAR)
One Beam 5-6 Min. Volume Scan Single Frequency
Multi-Beam lt 1 Min. Volume Scan Multi-Frequency
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Proposed Studies

• Engineering Studies
• Radar Improvements
• Display Improvements
• Scan Strategies
• Dual-Polarization
• Dual Tracking - Aircraft/weather

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Proposed Studies (cont.)

• Meteorological Studies
• Improved detection of severe weather
• Improved conceptual models
• Radar comparison studies
• Triple Doppler
• NEXRAD/TDWR/Phased Array
• Improved Modeling studies
• Wind Retrieval from Single Doppler
• Rapid Update of Forecast Models

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The Radar After Next

• A Doppler weather radar with no moving parts
  which can simultaneously track aircraft for the
  FAA, and vertically profile the atmosphere.

TORNADO LEAD TIMES Present 10
min Faster scan 5 min WDSS
6 min TOTAL 21 min