The D.O.W.

[Craig McPeck]

While storm chasing yesterday in Wichita, after a long day of bust, thought i'd snap some shots of the DOW;

http://aquate.us/u/DSCN389.JPG

Any idea on how this operates?

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

On gasoline!?!
But seriously folks - it works on throwing out and retrieving reflected microwave frequencies at various wavelengths (248 nano meter wave length and other freqs). Then, a computer on board re-shuffles the data and puts on a screen. The data is also transferred to other locations via mobile internet and evaluated. Usually there is a meteorologist on board who is also evaluating the data set. Universities, NOAA, and Vortex2 always have them roaming on the Plains doing study work for students or verifying storm info for the NWS. Did I pass the test? Hope so...

Unless I missed where you were going with the question, that is what I would say...

 

[Jason Haller]

While storm chasing yesterday in Wichita, after a long day of bust, thought i'd snap some shots of the DOW;

http://aquate.us/u/DSCN389.JPG

Any idea on how this operates?

That is also the phased-array DOW. Instead of requiring mechanical movement to scan a storm it is able to take a snapshot of a storm electorally at all levels simultaneously. I can't remember the exact figures but it is able to give a radar picture 5 times as fast as the current dopplers. They have a full sized test radar in Norman. My understanding is that this technology will some day (as soon as the money is their) to replace the current Doppler network. Please fill in or correct any of my mistakes.

 

[Rob Herman]

[That is also the phased-array DOW. Instead of requiring mechanical movement to scan a storm it is able to take a snapshot of a storm electorally at all levels simultaneously./QUOTE]

I'm not sure if I'm 100% correct but I think it does a full volume scan with one rotation of the dish.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

The Rapid-DOW isn't technically a full phased array radar, but it's close and the end result isn't terribly different. It can simultaneously transmit 6 beams in the vertical, and it rotates azimuthally. Instead of shifting the phase of the transmitted pulse by individual phase shifters, the Rapid DOW "steers" beams in the vertical by transmitting with slightly different frequencies. As such, it can collect 6 elevation-angle scans with each rotation of the antenna. You can read more about it at http://www.cswr.org/docs/radar-conf-rapid-2001-0327.pdf .

The CIRPAS MWR-05XP is a full phased array mobile radar (so it can steer many beams electronically in the vertical) that still requires azimuthal scanning (i.e. still requires the operators to rotate the antenna), but it's much more expensive to construct.

 

[Greg Blumberg]

Jason is right about the Phased Array Radar or PAR replacing the current doppler network. The great thing about the PAR is that you get to scan individual 90˚ sectors without having to rotate the radar along with the faster scans. So you have four panels facing each direction, and potentially one panel on top (no more cone of silence.) The money issue (I think I heard this correctly) will cause most of the new PARs to be installed in the Plains first (You win money if you guess why...)

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/radar/par.php

I think the projected year is 2025 if I remember correctly.

 

[Jason Haller]

Jason is right about the Phased Array Radar or PAR replacing the current doppler network. The great thing about the PAR is that you get to scan individual 90˚ sectors without having to rotate the radar along with the faster scans. So you have four panels facing each direction, and potentially one panel on top (no more cone of silence.) The money issue (I think I heard this correctly) will cause most of the new PARs to be installed in the Plains first (You win money if you guess why...)

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/research/radar/par.php

I think the projected year is 2025 if I remember correctly.

Do you know if we will still have a 5 minute delay in radar updates or is that another technology issue?

 

[Greg Blumberg]

Do you mean when working with GRLevelX products, the NOAA FTP Radar site, or just in general?

 

[Jason Haller]

Do you mean when working with GRLevelX products, the NOAA FTP Radar site, or just in general?

Yea with public output like GRLevelX or weathertap.

 

[Greg Blumberg]

I can't say how that will work. Knowing how future technology will be is difficult . I bet that by the time the PARs are in place, the technology will be there for a fast network connection for viewing radar data. I'm pretty sure that programs like GRLevelX and Weathertap both are currently working on the problem of displaying dual-polarization radar products, rather than worrying about how they are going to display PAR data. I look forward to seeing how they'll pull it off though!

 

[Craig McPeck]

Thanks for the great imput guys.

While i was imaging the vehicle, if you look at the very top with the grid like area, thats where they were sleeping at that time. Lol