Spaceborne Weather Radar details statistical methods, estimation algorithms, and design techniques for the measurement of rainfall and cloud cover from space.

With their images practically ubiquitious in the daily media, weather radar systems provide data not only for understanding weather systems and improving forecasts (especially critical for severe weather), but also for hydrological applications, flood warnings and climate research in which ground verification is needed for global precipitation measurements by satellites. This book offers an accessible overview of advanced methods, applications and modern research from the European perspective. An extensive introductory chapter summarizes the principles of weather radars and discusses the potential of modern radar systems, including Doppler and polarisation techniques, data processing, and error-correction methods. Addressing both specialist researchers and nonspecialists from related areas, this book will also be useful for graduate students planning to specialize in this field

This fully illustrated volume covers the history of radar meteorology, deals with the issues in the field from both the operational and the scientific viewpoint, and looks ahead to future issues and how they will affect the current atmosphere. With over 200 contributors, the volume is a product of the entire community and represents an unprecedented compendium of knowledge in the field.

Weather radar is a vital instrument for observing the atmosphere to help provide weather forecasts and issue weather warnings to the public. The current Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) system provides Doppler radar coverage to most regions of the United States (NRC, 1995). This network was designed in the mid 1980s and deployed in the 1990s as part of the National Weather Service (NWS) modernization (NRC, 1999). Since the initial design phase of the NEXRAD program, considerable advances have been made in radar technologies and in the use of weather radar for monitoring and prediction. The development of new technologies provides the motivation for appraising the status of the current weather radar system and identifying the most promising approaches for the development of its eventual replacement. The charge to the committee was to determine the state of knowledge regarding ground-based weather surveillance radar technology and identify the most promising approaches for the design of the replacement for the present Doppler Weather Radar. This report presents a first look at potential approaches for future upgrades to or replacements of the current weather radar system. The need, and schedule, for replacing the current system has not been established, but the committee used the briefings and deliberations to assess how the current system satisfies the current and emerging needs of the operational and research communities and identified potential system upgrades for providing improved weather forecasts and warnings. The time scale for any total replacement of the system (20- to 30-year time horizon) precluded detailed investigation of the designs and cost structures associated with any new weather radar system. The committee instead noted technologies that could provide improvements over the capabilities of the evolving NEXRAD system and recommends more detailed investigation and evaluation of several of these technologies. In the course of its deliberations, the committee developed a sense that the processes by which the eventual replacement radar system is developed and deployed could be as significant as the specific technologies adopted. Consequently, some of the committee's recommendations deal with such procedural issues.

This 2001 book provides a detailed introduction to the principles of Doppler and polarimetric radar, focusing in particular on their use in the analysis of weather systems. The design features and operation of practical radar systems are highlighted throughout the book in order to illustrate important theoretical foundations.

Doppler radar systems have been instrumental to improve our understanding and monitoring capabilities of phenomena taking place in the low, middle, and upper atmosphere. Weather radars, wind profilers, and incoherent and coherent scatter radars implementing Doppler techniques are now used routinely both in research and operational applications by scientists and practitioners. This book brings together a collection of eighteen essays by international leading authors devoted to different applications of ground based Doppler radars. Topics covered include, among others, severe weather surveillance, precipitation estimation and nowcasting, wind and turbulence retrievals, ionospheric radar and volcanological applications of Doppler radar. The book is ideally suited for graduate students looking for an introduction to the field or professionals intending to refresh or update their knowledge on Doppler radar applications.

This book reviews the principles of Doppler radar and emphasizes the quantitative measurement of meteorological parameters. It illustrates the relation of Doppler radar data and images to atmospherix phenomena such as tornados, microbursts, waves, turbulence, density currents, hurricanes, and lightning. Radar images and photographs of these weather phenomena are included. - Polarimetric measurements and data processing - An updated section on RASS - Wind profilers - Observations with the WSR-88D - An updated treatment of lightning - Turbulence in the planetary boundary layer - A short history of radar - Chapter problem sets

This book if a tribute to one of the leading scientists in meteorology, Dr. David Atlas. It was written by a group of specialists and presented at a symposium to honor Dr. Atlas’ life and career as meteorologist. It serves as a comprehensive resource for scientists and educators, and also as an inspiring historical record of scientific research and important discoveries in the field of meteorology.

As we all know, weather radar came into existence during the Second World War when aircraft detection radars had their vision limited by echoes from rain bearing clouds. What was often considered to be of nuisance value by the air force personnel trying to locate enemy aircraft was seen as an opportunity by the weather men. Thus adversity in one field was converted into an opportunity in another. Since then weather radar has found myriad applications with the increased sophistication of technology and processing systems. It has now become an indispensable tool for the operational forecasters, cloud physicists and atmospheric scientists. The current generation radar is but a distant echo of the radars of the 1940s. As a result, its operation and maintenance have become very complex, like the technology it uses. Therefore, there is a definite requirement of focussing our special attention not only on the science of radar meteorology but also on its operational aspects. The present book, as pointed out by the author, attempts to fill this gap. The author has presented the subject with a balanced blend of science, technology and practice. The canvas is indeed very broad. Starting with the history of weather radar development the book goes on to discuss in a lucid style the physics of the atmosphere related to radar observation, radar technology, echo interpretation, different applications and finally attempts to look into the future to indicate potential new opportunities in this field.

JPL spacecraft antennas-from the first Explorer satellite in 1958 to current R & D Spaceborne Antennas for Planetary Exploration covers the development of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) spacecraft antennas, beginning with the first Explorer satellite in 1958 through current research and development activities aimed at future missions. Readers follow the evolution of all the new designs and technological innovations that were developed to meet the growing demands of deep space exploration. The book focuses on the radio frequency design and performance of antennas, but covers environmental and mechanical considerations as well. There is additionally a thorough treatment of all the analytical and measurement techniques used in design and performance assessment. Each chapter is written by one or more leading experts in the field of antenna technology. The presentation of the history and technology of spaceborne antennas is aided by several features: * Photographs and drawings of JPL spacecraft * Illustrations to help readers visualize concepts and designs * Tables highlighting and comparing the performance of the antennas * Bibliographies at the end of each chapter leading to a variety of primary and secondary source material This book complements Large Antennas of the Deep Space Network (Wiley 2002), which surveys the ground antennas covered in support of spacecraft. Together, these two books completely cover all JPL antenna technology, in keeping with the JPL Deep Space Communications and Navigation Series mission to capture and present the many innovations in deep space telecommunications over the past decades. This book is a fascinating and informative read for all individuals working in or interested in deep space telecommunications.