A Report on theA Report on the
NCAR S-Pol and CSU-CHILL NCAR S-Pol and CSU-CHILL Integrated Radar FacilitiesIntegrated Radar Facilities
CHILL Site CHILL Site
OverviewOverview NSF asked NCAR and CSU to develop a
framework for aligning the various activities of both Facilities
Many planning meetings were held between EOL and CSU staff starting in the fall of 2006
Integrated Weather Radar Facility (IWRF) white paper developed, reviewed by various members of our community
Briefing presented to NSF in April 2008 Recommendation made to move ahead with the
IWRF Overarching goal is to provide enhanced services
to the user community
33
Strategic ThrustsStrategic Thrusts “Integrate” CSU/CHILL and NCAR/S-Pol
systems Permits sharing of expertise and ideas Work together on problems of mutual interest Provide commonality for various components of the
radar Compliment the “deployment” mission of S-Pol and
the “development” mission of CSU-CHILL Broaden the use of the facilities for education Individual business structures maintained
CHILL funded by a Cooperative Agreement from NSF S-Pol funding as part of NCAR base funding
44
Theme Areas under the Integrated Theme Areas under the Integrated FacilityFacility
Engineering System engineering, advanced development,
data and visualization Strategic Science
Centered on “Front Range Laboratory” and potential science applications
Education Innovative educational utilization of real time
and archived data from S-Pol and CHILL
55
Unique Advancements throughUnique Advancements throughNCAR – CSU Collaboration (1)NCAR – CSU Collaboration (1)
Accelerate development-to-deployment time for hardware and software initiatives
Integrated engineering efforts Uninterrupted development during S-Pol deployment
Combine expertise available at S-Pol and CSU-CHILL for educational opportunities Remote real time presentations (V-CHILL); VCHILL to
be installed on S-Pol Case study data collection, digital library Participation in CSU educational initiatives by NCAR
staff Recent ASP Remote Sensing Symposium was an
example
66
InternetInternet
Remote Client Remote Clients
Remote Processor
Tx. Waveform
Rx. Signal
Radar Hardware
Radar Controller/Signal Processor/
Storage
The Virtual CHILL - VCHILLThe Virtual CHILL - VCHILL Enables remote
real-time data Time series Radar products
Enables remote signal processing
Enables remote operation
Unique Advancements throughUnique Advancements throughNCAR – CSU Collaboration (2)NCAR – CSU Collaboration (2)
Development of remote/unattended operational capability Reduce staffing levels during data collection Enhanced efficiency More periods of data collection
S-Pol to operate at home base when not deployed Follows the CSU-CHILL model
88
Short Term Projects--UnderwayShort Term Projects--Underway
S-Pol adapting the new CHILL timing control Both CHILL and S-Pol have purchased new
(identical) antenna controllers S-Pol HAWK signal processing system has been
installed on CHILL as a parallel processor. Facilitates NCAR work with the National Weather Service. HAWK system utilizes the digitized I,Q data from CHILL as input. Output is generated for the NCAR CIDD scientific display which is also operational at CHILL.
99
Short Term Projects, continued….Short Term Projects, continued….
The current CHILL signal processor will be implemented on S-Pol. Therefore both radars will have identical, parallel processing systems (CHILL and HAWK). NCAR gained valuable experience in TiMREX where they operated the current S-Pol and HAWK processors in parallel.
1010
Integrated Architecture Integrated Architecture
S-Pol
Common Architecture
CSU-CHILLCommon Software Common Hardware
Collaboratively Specified and Designed Independently Designed
S-Pol Antenna
S-Pol Antenna
Antenna Electronics
Antenna Electronics
TransmitterTransmitter
ReceiverReceiver
CHILL AntennaCHILL
Antenna
Antenna Electronics
Antenna Electronics
TransmitterTransmitter
ReceiverReceiver
Digital Waveform Synthesis
Digital Waveform Synthesis
Digital ReceiverDigital Receiver
Antenna ControllerAntenna
Controller
Scan and System Control
Scan and System Control
Signal ProcessingSignal Processing
Data Capture and Display
Data Capture and Display
1111
Short Term Projects, continued….Short Term Projects, continued….
Improve polarimetric capabilities of S-Pol antenna. Photogrammatic analysis of the current S-Pol reflector has been carried out to determine surface accuracy. Analysis currently underway. Purchase new OMT feedhorn for S-Pol and use
current reflector Use 1994 CHILL feedhorn and current S-Pol
reflector Use entire 1994 CHILL antenna on S-Pol
(mechanical study has been done to determine suitability for non-radome operations)
1212
1313
Local Operational Aspects (1)Local Operational Aspects (1)
Dedicated efforts towards target of opportunity, home-base operation of both radars…when not supporting NSF projects
Allows continuous testing and development of Automated calibration techniques Signal processing algorithms Remote control capabilities S-Pol will be maintained in an operational, ready
state when not deployed
1414
Local Operational Aspects (2)Local Operational Aspects (2)
Re-location of S-Pol could ultimately allow CHILL and S-Pol to become anchor points in a Colorado Front Range Observing Network Provide a cost-effective, high value technology
test-bed for validating new instruments and measurements. Serve as a “magnet” for a variety of field projects.
None of these local activities will reduce the radars’ traditional availabilities for NSF-supported projects
1515
63 km
51 k
m
42 km
73 k
m
TDWR
KCYS
Grand ViewGrand View
N SE
W
• 40° 2.361’ N; 104° 55.696’ W; 5195’ MSL
• SE of I-25/Hwy 52; ~4 miles S of Dacono; ~5 miles SW of Ft. Lupton
• 63 km from Continental Divide; 51 km from CHILL/ 42 km from KFTG
• 0.5° terrain blockage to S; nearly 0° horizon in all other directions
• Clutter to NE (Ft Lupton) but can use CMD; good for refractivity
• Excellent site but should check for planned developments
Front Range Network Science Front Range Network Science PossibilitiesPossibilities
High resolution 3D wind and dual-polarization observations available on the mesoscale, over varying terrain Evolution of the boundary layer wind and moisture patterns Diagnoses of airflow and hydrometeor fields in convective
storms (especially those producing hail, locally heavy rainfall, etc.)
Precipitation processes in winter “upslope” events Validation of kinematic and microphysical fields in numerical
models
Investigations into realtime applications of network data Algorithm improvements (hydrometeor ID, etc.) Assimilation of radar data fields into NWP models
1818
TimelineTimeline
1919
Dual Offset-Fed Gregorian Antenna Dual Offset-Fed Gregorian Antenna SystemSystem
Operational March 2008
2121
CSU-CHILL developinga second frequency,X-band (polarimetric)
Rainfall estimation
High resolutionmicrophysics
Dual-wavelength attenuation studies
Test data planned in winter 2010
X-band
S-bandDual-frequency feedhornbeing constructed
0.3 degree beamwidth atX-band, boresighted with1.0 degree beam at S-band
2323
S-Pol projects include:
Installation of WSR-88D transmitter forbetter performance and reliability
Antenna upgrade, as described earlier. ExpectLdr limit to -35 dB (currently at -30 dB) andimproved H,V pattern matching
S-Pol now features CMD, Clutter Mitigation Decision for real time clutter mitigation (does not filter zero velocity weather)
All leads to better data quality and reliability….
TRMM-LBA 1999
NAME 2004
2424
Yesterday when you were listening to all those greatscience talks……
CSU-CHILL data from15 June 2009
2525
2626
Specific differential phaseshowing rain rates in excessof 4 inches per hour, mixedwith hail (note Zdr field)
Differential reflectivity
Top Related