Hurricane Observation Capability of Future Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD)

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• Hurricane Observation Capability of Future
  Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD)

Timothy L. Miller1, R. Atlas2, P. G. Black3, R.
E. Hood5, M. W. James1, J. W. Johnson6, L.
Jones6, C. S. Ruf7, E. W. Uhlhorn2, and Salem
Al-Nimri6 1NASA/MSFC, Huntsville, AL 2NOAA/AOML,
Miami, FL 3SAIC Inc., Naval Research Laboratory,
Monterey, CA 4USRA, Marshall Space Flight Ctr,
Huntsville, AL 5NOAA, Boulder, CO 6University of
Central Florida, Orlando, FL 7University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Presented to Interdepartmental Hurricane
Conference, March 2009
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Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD)

• HIRAD utilizes NASA Instrument Incubator
  Technology
• Provides unique observations of sea surface
  wind, temp and rain
• Advances understanding / prediction of hurricane
  intensity
• Expands Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer
  capabilities
• Uses synthetic thinned array, RFI mitigation
  technology of Lightweight Rain Radiometer

Existing 1980s Technology
Simulated Observations
Advanced Technology HIRAD in development
Government, Academic Team

• Timothy Miller, PI, NASA/MSFC Earth Science
• Eric Uhlhorn, co-PI, NOAA AOML/Hurricane
  Research Division
• Robbie Hood, NOAA UAV Program Mgr, co-I and
  former PI
• Linwood Jones, University of Central Florida
• Christopher Ruf, University of Michigan
• NASA/UAH Engineering Spacecraft Project
  Management
• Peter Black, NRL/SAIC
• Robert Atlas, NOAA/AOML

2000 km Swath
70 km

• Passive Microwave C-Band Radiometer
• Freq 4, 5, 6 6.6 GHz, Version 1 H-pol for
  ocean wind speed, Version 2 fully polarimetric
  for ocean wind vectors
• 20 km Aircraft Altitude Performance
  Characteristics
• EIA 0- 60, Spatial Resolution 2-5 km, Swath
  70 km
• Observational Goals
• Wind Speed 10 - gt85 m/s Rain Rate 0 - gt 100
  mm/hr

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What is HIRAD?(Hurricane Imaging Radiometer)

• Passive C-band radiometer
• Objective To measure strong ocean surface winds
  through heavy rain from air or space-based
  platform
• With cross-track resolution in addition to
  along-track
• Swath width 60o (3 x altitude)
• Winds dynamic range 10 100 m/s, through rain
  up to 100 mm/hr
• Would complement scatterometers and lidars
• Technology heritage
• SFMR (Stepped-Frequency Microwave Radiometer)
  currently flying on reconnaissance aircraft (no
  cross-track resolution)
• NASA Instrument Incubator Thinned array
  antenna, along-track real aperture, synthetic
  cross-track aperture
• Status
• Brassboard (bench lab) version of
  single-polarization (wind speed only) instrument
  successfully tested in anechoic chamber last
  August
• Single-polarization aircraft instrument to be
  completed Sept. 2009
• Partnership
• Project leadership, PI, and engineering at
  NASA/MSFC
• Technology, engineering, and science lead
  partners NOAA/HRD (Uhlhorn), Univ. Central
  Florida (Linwood Jones), Univ. Michigan (Chris
  Ruf), Univ. Alabama Huntsville (project
  engineering support)