Publication Date:
2011-08-24
Description:
A conceptual design for a mid-latitude orbiting precipitation and cloud mapping radar is discussed. In this conceptual design the radar utilizes a narrow, dual-frequency beam, electronically scanned antenna to achieve 4-km spatial resolution and 300-km cross-track swath. Vertical resolution of 500 m is achieved by short-pulse transmission. It is expected that such system can measure rain rates up to 100 mm/hr for precipitation at the cloud base, surface precipitation up to 20 mm/hr, and cloud reflectivities as low as -39 dBz. By averaging over 100 independent samples, signal reflectivities can be estimated to better than 20 percent. Other rain and cloud characteristics, such as height, thickness, and cell size, can also be extracted from the data.
Keywords:
SPACECRAFT INSTRUMENTATION
Type:
In: Atmospheric propagation and remote sensing; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 21-23, 1992 (A93-37102 14-74); p. 363-369.
Format:
text
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