Motion of echo structures observed with volume imaging atmospheric radar

MST radar observations of turbulent altocumulus layers

“…The MU radar operated in a 64-beam Doppler-beam-swinging mode on 27-28 February 2002, measuring similarly to the 5-beam Aberystwyth MST radar, but switching direction every inter-pulse period to measure 64 directions effectively simultaneously, with time resolution 6.55 s. This is sufficient to show, for example, convection and KHI moving and evolving as they cross the radar (Worthington, 2004(Worthington, , 2005(Worthington, , 2008. Figure 5 shows horizontal slices of echo power at 4.275 km height, 0415-0423 JST (UTC + 9 h), with an irregular rather than wavelike form moving across the radar, suggesting convection rather than KHI.…”

“…The MU radar operated in a 64‐beam Doppler‐beam‐swinging mode on 27–28 February 2002, measuring similarly to the 5‐beam Aberystwyth MST radar, but switching direction every inter‐pulse period to measure 64 directions effectively simultaneously, with time resolution 6.55 s. This is sufficient to show, for example, convection and KHI moving and evolving as they cross the radar (Worthington, , , ).…”

“…Convection does not produce a strong echo power contrast to its surroundings when both are saturated, and Figure actually shows convection as it passes through quasi‐horizontal layers of different stability, to give the echo power contrast. Worthington (, , ) show more examples, including three‐dimensional visualization of clear air and precipitation echoes in deep convection.…”