Millimeter-Wave Scanning Cloud Radars

Ka-band & W-band Scanning Polarimetric Radars (KASPR & WSPR)

KASPR and WSPR are fully-polarimetric scanning cloud radars deployed from a standard 20-ft sea container. These system can be readily stowed in the sea container for shipping worldwide. Pulse-to-pulse V/H polarization switching and dual polarization receivers allow all polarimetric variables to be computed.   Frequency hopping is employed to suppress second trip echo and to precisely measure the background noise without contamination from the transmit signal.

 

KASPR Features
  • Weather-tight, liquid cooled RF unit
  • 2.2 kW peak,  80 W average power using klystron transmitter
  • 100 W peak, 25 W average power using solid-state transmitter
  • Pulse-to-pulse polarization agility on transmit
  • Dual-channel receiver for simultaneous reception of vertical and horizontal polarization
  • High flow rate dry air system supplying antenna, RF unit and pedestal
  • PC-based digital receiver with real-time pulse pair and FFT processing
  • Receiver LNA noise figure: 2.8 dB
  • Data Products
    • dBZ, LDR, ZDR, copolarized correlation coefficient, cross-polarized correlation coefficient, differential phase
    • Dual-PRI velocity unwrapping
    • Real-time Doppler spectra (co-pol, cross-pol, VV/HH cross-spectrum)
  • User-defined scripts to automatically adjust radar settings and implement complex scan patterns
  • Instrument webpage for remote control and system monitoring

 

WSPR Features
  • Weather-tight, liquid cooled RF unit
  • 1.8 kW peak,  15 W average power
  • contact ProSensing for solid-state transmitter options
  • Receiver LNA noise figure: 3.5 dB
  • 1.2 m diameter dual polarized Cassegrain antenna
  • Pulse-to-pulse polarization agility on transmit
  • Dual-channel receiver for simultaneous reception of vertical and horizontal polarization
  • High flow rate dry air system supplying antenna, RF unit and pedestal
  • PC-based digital receiver with real-time pulse pair and FFT processing
  • Data Products
    • dBZ, LDR, ZDR, copolarized correlation coefficient, cross-polarized correlation coefficient, differential phase
    • Dual-PRI velocity unwrapping
    • Real-time Doppler spectra (co-pol, cross-pol, VV/HH cross-spectrum)
  • User-defined scripts to automatically adjust radar settings and implement complex scan patterns
  • Instrument webpage for remote control and system monitoring
System Web Page

The system web page is used to control and monitor system activity and to view quick-look data

 KASPR_control_panel

Radar control panel

SACR2_imagesets

example quick-look data for RHI scan of cloud deck with dual frequency SACR system showing Ka-band and W-band plots

KASPR on site at India Institute of Meteorology (IITM)

W-band scanning cloud radar built for NASA GSFC