Wuhan MST radar: technical features and validation of wind observations

Abstract

Abstract. The Wuhan mesosphere–stratosphere–troposphere (MST) radar is a 53.8 MHz monostatic Doppler radar, located in Chongyang, Hubei Province, China, and has the capability to observe the dynamics of the mesosphere–stratosphere–troposphere region in the subtropical latitudes. The radar system has an antenna array of 576 Yagi antennas, and the maximum peak power is 172 kW. The Wuhan MST radar is efficient and cost-effective and employs more simplified and more flexible architecture. It includes 24 big transmitter–receiver (TR) modules, and the row or column data port of each big TR module connects 24 small TR modules via the corresponding row or column feeding network. Each antenna is driven by a small TR module with peak output power of 300 W. The arrangement of the antenna field, the functions of the timing signals, the structure of the TR modules, and the clutter suppression procedure are described in detail in this paper. We compared the MST radar observation results with other instruments and related models in the whole MST region for validation. Firstly, we made a comparison of the horizontal winds in the troposphere and low stratosphere observed by the Wuhan MST radar with the radiosonde on 22 May 2016, as well as with the ERA-Interim data sets (2016 and 2017) in the long term. Then, we made a comparison of the observed horizontal winds in the mesosphere with the meteor radar and the Horizontal Wind Model 14 (HWM-14) model in the same way. In general, good agreements can be obtained, and this indicates that the Wuhan MST is an effective tool to measure the three-dimensional wind fields of the MST region.

Mid‐Latitude Mesospheric Responses of the Solar Eclipse on 21 June 2020 Observed by the Wuhan MST Radar

“…The Wuhan MST radar is one of the important instruments of Chinese Meridian Project and located in the south of Wuhan, China (C. Wang, 2010; C. Wang et al., 2022). It uses a square antenna array and transmits 53.8 MHz radio waves with 172.8 kW peak power to detect the atmosphere (Chen et al., 2016; Qiao et al., 2020). This enables it to get continuous observations in the approximate altitude range of 2–20 km (i.e., covering most of the troposphere and the lower stratosphere) and sporadic observations in the altitude range of 60–90 km (i.e., covering most of the mesosphere).…”

Wuhan MST Radar Observations of a Tropopause Descent Event during Heavy Rain on 1–2 June 2015

“…The antenna array of the Wuhan MST radar and its operating mode are displayed in Figure 3. The Wuhan MST radar is a high-power coherent pulse Doppler radar operated at a frequency of 53.8 MHz [4,23]. There are 576 three-element Yagi antennas composing the antenna array.…”

“…The radar was designed and constructed to improve our under standing of the extratropical troposphere, lower stratosphere, and mesosphere. The an tenna array of the Wuhan MST radar and its operating mode are displayed in Figure 3 The Wuhan MST radar is a high-power coherent pulse Doppler radar operated at a fre quency of 53.8 MHz [4,23]. There are 576 three-element Yagi antennas composing the an tenna array.…”

A new dual-frequency stratospheric–tropospheric and meteor radar: system description and first results

“…Mesosphere and stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radars operating in the VHF and UHF bands were originally hoped to provide a way of measuring winds, waves and turbulence from heights close to the ground to heights close to 100 km (see, e.g., Balsley and Gage, 1980;Chen et al, 2016;Qiao et al, 2020;Hocking, 1997Hocking, , 2011. The reality was that at the most common operating frequencies near 50 MHz, these radars, no matter how powerful, could only measure winds from near the ground to heights of around 20 km during the day and night (effectively an stratospheric-tropospheric (ST) radar) and from 60 to 80 km during the day.…”