Wind‐profiling Doppler radars for tropical atmospheric research

Abstract

The past decade has seen a rapid increase in the use of wind profilers in atmospheric research [Gage, 1990]. Briefly, wind profilers are Doppler radars that observe winds from Doppler shifts of “clear air” atmospheric echoes. The atmospheric echoes arise from backscattering from turbulent irregularities in the radio refractive index of the atmosphere. Wind profilers operate at several VHF and UHF frequencies, notably in the vicinity of 50, 405, and 915 MHz. Since they measure the radial component of the wind, they can be used to monitor vertical as well as horizontal motions by using antennas phased to look sequentially in several directions.

Comparison of observed diurnal and semidiurnal tropospheric winds at Christmas Island with tidal theory

“…A boundary layer radar has recently been installed at Christmas Island and studies will be done to verify this assumption. The VHF radar is part of a Pacific network of radars [Gage et al, 1990] (1,1) and (2,2) 3 and 4) will be discussed following the description of the tidal model winds.…”

On the lack of southern hemisphere polar mesosphere summer echoes

“…The Machu Picchu profiler is located on a relatively level coastal strip of land on King George Island, Antarctica. The island, which lies near the northern tip of the Palmer Peninsula, is relatively small (•100 km x 50 km) and somewhat hilly, with the highest hills extending to about 50 m. The primary antenna is constructed of coaxial-collinear (COCO) dipoles in a manner similar to many other profiler systems throughout the world (see, for example, Gage et al [1990]). The antenna area consists of two separate 50 m x 50 m arrays of orthogonal sets of COCO antennas.…”

Introduction to ALOHA‐90: The airborne lidar and observations of the Hawaiian Airglow Campaign

“…These radars provide continuous measurements of the three-dimensional wind field with excellent temporal and height resolution [Gage et al, 1990]. These radars provide continuous measurements of the three-dimensional wind field with excellent temporal and height resolution [Gage et al, 1990].…”

“…The VHF stratosphere-troposphere wind profilers, located on Christmas Island and at Platteville are operated by the NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory. These radars provide continuous measurements of the three-dimensional wind field with excellent temporal and height resolution [Gage et al, 1990]. With these measurements, analyses of the background temporal mean winds as well as wave perturbations upon this basic state can be performed.…”