Overview of the ELDORA ELectra DOppler RAdar

1
Overview of the ELDORA (ELectra DOppler RAdar)

• Presented by William Straka III

2
Outline

• Introduction
• Brief history of ELDORA
• Aircraft overview
• Radar Characteristics, Hardware
• Data Data Analysis
• Conclusion

3
Introduction

• The ELDORA is an airborne meteorological research
  radar.
• Consists of two radars, one pointing fore, the
  other aft
• Developed jointly by National Center for
  Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the French Centre
  de?tude des Environnements Terrestre et
  Planetaires (CRPE) in France.
• Called the ASTRAIA by CRPE.

4
History

• 1st considered 1971
• 1st tested 1982, NOAA, P-3
• 1st available 1988, NOAA, P-3
• 1st data 1992, NCAR, ELDORA
• 1st project Jan-Feb 1993, TOGA COARE
• Used in numerous other field experiments
  including CRYSTAL-FACE (2002) and BAMEX (2003)

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Aircraft Overview

• Electra
• Crew 2 pilots, flight engineer, 16 scientists
• L/W 116 ft/99 ft
• Speed - 160 m/s
• Altitude 28,000 ft

• P3
• Crew 16 flight crew scientists
• L/W 116 ft/99 ft
• Speed 210 m/s
• Altitude 34,400 ft

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Aircraft mounting
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Characteristics
8
Characteristics
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Radar scanning
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Characteristics
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Hardware

• Crystal oscillator
• RF signal transmitter/receiver unit
• High power amplifiers
• Signal processor
• Antenna/rotodome system
• Radar control equipment
• Signals

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Data Analysis
13
Data example29 July 2002
14
References

• Doviak, R.J., and D.S. Zrnic. Doppler Radar and
  Weather Observations. San Diego Academic Press,
  Inc., 1993.
• Electra Doppler Radar. NCAR ATD. 5 July 2000.
• lthttp//www.atd.ucar.edu/rsf/eldora/eldora.htmlgt
• Gamache, John. A Variational Technique to
  Retrieve a Three-dimensional Wind Field from
  Doppler Data. The Pennsylvania State University,
  State College, PA. March 2002.
• Jorgensen, D.P., P.H. Hildebrand. Feasability
  Test of an Airborne Pulse-Doppler Meteorological
  Radar. Journal of Climate and Applied
  Meteorology 22(1983) 744-757
• Jorgensen, D.P., P.S. Ray. Airborne Doppler
  Radar Observations of a Convective Storm.
  Journal of Applied Meteorology 24(1985) 687-698
• Lhermitte, Roger M. Probing of Atmospheric
  Motion by Airborne Pulse-Doppler Radar
  Techniques. Journal of Applied Meteorology
  10(1970) 234-
• Lockheed P3 Orion Aricraft. US Navy. 1 Dec
  1996.
• lthttp//www.vpnavy.com/aircraft_p3.html
• NCAR ATD ELDORA Overview. NCAR ATD. 13 March
  2000.
• lthttp//www.atd.ucar.edu/homes/snorman/UserGuides
  /ELDORA/gt
• Rinehart, Ronald E. Radar for Meteorologists.
  Grand Forks Rinehart Publications, 1997.