Ece7 - Radar Antenna Communication

A paper on
RADAR ANTENNA COMMUNICATION

To
TECHNOBRAIN-2009
AT
ST.JOHNS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

BY
P.UJVALA
V.HARITHA
06481A0477
06481A04A8
III B.TECH
pisipati.ujvala@gmail.com
9248359762
III B.TECH
haritha.veerla@gmail.com
9703921024
FROM
GUDLAVALLERU ENGINEERINCOLLEGE
GUDLAVALLERU
Abstract :
This paper deals with Terminal Doppler
is typically located near to population centers
Weather Radar (TDWR) installed in airports
and congested airspace, so that it is well
to provide wind shear detection services and
situated for supporting weather services for
precipitation reflectivity data to controllers
operationally important areas.
and supervisors. The TDWRs narrow beam
As the name suggests, the Terminal Doppler
and aggressive ground clutter suppression
Weather Radar (TDWR) was purposely built
algorithms
provide
excellent
data
on
to serve the terminal area of the airport. Its
boundary layer reflectivity and winds
in
mission is to detect wind shear and so as to
particular the locations of thunderstorm
enhance the safety of aircraft landing and
outflow boundaries. These data are known to
takeoff. It is located near the airport at a
be essential for providing high resolution
distance of 12 km so that it has a clear view
convective weather forecasts out to two
of the runways, airport approach and
hours. Similarly, its narrow beam could be
departure zones.
useful for detection of severe weather
The TDWR is specially designed to
signatures (e.g., tornado vortices) with small
operate in a high clutter environment
azimuth extent. Relative to the Weather
normally present in the vicinity of airports. It
Service Radar 88-D (NEXRAD) it scans
makes use of a variety of methods to
rapidly (e.g., surface updates once per
minimize clutter and to eliminate the
minute), facilitating monitoring of rapidly
influence of such moving targets as birds,
evolving low altitude wind shear hazards. It
aircrafts.
TDWR ARCHITECTURE
Extension Program (SLEP) to improve

supportability
The TDWR system was designed and built in

the late 1980s, and is encountering issues
related to parts obsolescence. To ensure that
the system continues to be maintainable, the
FAA has commenced a Service. Life
and,
where
appropriate,
introduce improved capability.

A simplified block diagram of the
TDWR is shown in Figure. The RPG
subsystem, shown in green on the upper left,
has recently been re-hosted from a Harris
subsystems. The existing TDWR DSP
Nighthawk UNIX system to one based on a
subsystem hardware consists of a mixture of
pair of redundant SGI Origin computers. The
COTS and custom cards, installed in a single
next major digital subsystem to be addressed,
19 Multibus system chassis. The COTS
and the focus of this paper is the RDA,
boards include a 68020-based single-board
which includes the receiver and DSP
Figure 2. Air Traffic Control Analysis
UPGRADATION OF RADARS
computer (SBC) and a SCSI and serial
controller. The custom components include
WEATHER SERVICE RETIRES LAST

OF OLD RADAR
five boards to handle the A/D interface and

timing needs, eight boards to perform clutter
The new radars are more sensitive, which
filtering, and six boards to handle the
means they can detect more
generation of moments data.
weather details than the old

ones could. also means they
Air Traffic Control Analysis
can detect wind speeds and
The minimum instruments required
directions, giving a much better
under VFR include an airspeed indicator,
picture of bad weather.
altimeter, and magnetic direction indicator.

Minimum
flying
conditions
in
radar-
The new radars make extensive use
controlled airspace in transition areas specify
of computers, which means
a cloud ceiling about 215 m (700 ft) above
they can be programmed to

sound an alarm when weather
ground level and 1.6 km (1 mi)
patterns are beginning to
visibility. Other VFR requirements for
appear dangerous. With the old
visibility and distance from clouds depend
radars, someone had to watch
on altitude and whether operation is in
the screen constantly when
controlled or uncontrolled airspace. VFR
storms were possible to make
flight is not permitted in all airspaces, and
sure nothing important was
terminal control areas sometimes require
missed.
positive (radar) air traffic control. Airport

"It
traffic areas typically encompass a radius of

8 km (5 mi) and are extended laterally for the
control of instrument-dependent departures
and landings. Control zones around airports
extend upwards with no limit.
took
considerable
skill
to
determine storm intensities from green

blotches on the radar scope," said Steve
Rich,
meteorologist-in-charge
of
the
Charleston office. "It took even greater skill

to tell if a storm had tornado characteristics."
Like the user-friendliness built into much of
today's technology, the new Doppler radars
produce highly accurate storm signatures.

"For the first time in history, we are now able
to broadcast a tornado warning for a given
area before a tornado is formed," Rich said.
"This
is
remarkable
technological
achievement and has already saved many

lives.
Figure 3.Doppler Effect
THE DOPPLER EFFECT

"The observed
change in
DOPPLER RADAR AND KEY
the
frequency of sound or electromagnetic
FACTORS FOR UNDERSTANDING
waves due to the relative motions of the
WEATHER RADAR
source and observer."

All weather radars send out radio
The Doppler Effect is best described
waves from an antenna. Objects in the air,
by the change in pitch of a trains whistle as
such as rain drops, snow crystals, hail stones
the train passes by your position. The pitch
or even insects and dust, scatter or reflect
of the trains whistle changes because the
some of the radio waves back to the antenna.
frequency/wavelengths
All
of
the
sound
weather
radars,
including
Nexrad,
increases/decreases as the train moves
electronically convert the reflected radio
toward you and decreases/increases as the
waves into pictures showing the location and
train moves away from you. The same
intensity of precipitation. Doppler radars also
concept applies to meteorological targets.
measure the frequency change in returning
Doppler radar is able to detect the changes in
radio waves. other objects that reflected the
frequency/wavelength resulting from storm
radio
motions toward or away from the radar. This

concept is the basis for all velocity products.
Figure 4.Radar Communication
better
understanding
could
improve
tornado forecasting. In 1995, scientists used

one Doppler radar, nicknamed Doppler on
Wheels (DOW) because it was mobile,
during the At a distance of less than two
miles from a tornado, the Doppler radar
sends out a beam of radio waves to scan the
tornado's wind field. But, with only one radar
researchers can measure only the speeds of
winds going toward or away from the radar.
more
clearly
understand
what's
happening now and what's likely to happen

in the next hour or two
MOBILE RADAR CHASE TARNADOES
Tornado researchers used two
portable Doppler radars on the Plains this
year to obtain even better pictures of what
happens inside tornadoes. This complete
look at tornado-generated winds should
allow meteorologists to fine tune their
conceptual model of tornado structure. Such
radar can measure the wind component in the

direction in which the radar beam is
pointing. Lhermitte and Atlas (1961) first
described how a single Doppler radar could
be used to measure vertical profiles of wind
velocity in widespread precipitation; it can
also be used in clear-air.
Figure6. Tornado Detection by the Radar
Figure 6. Measurement of vertical

profiles of wind by the radar
APPLICATIONS OF TERMINAL
Front location
DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR

Sharp wind shifts, which are frequently
Wind versus height

Meteorological
generally
detect
associated with frontal boundaries, are

Doppler
precipitation
radars
particles,
usually easily identified on the Doppler

velocity display. Thus, fronts can be
insects and refractive index gradients. These
precisely located and their movement closely
scatterers move with the wind. Thus Doppler
monitored on low-level wind shift associated
with a cold front approaching the coast of
abilities to understand and forecast severe
Washington state. In this geographic region
thunderstorms,
accurate frontal locations are rarely known
thunderstorm initiation and to monitor
because data is sparse.
precipitation accumulations. . It is expected
Radar Sees Rain
that as more and more operational Doppler
blizzards,
wind shifts,
radars are installed and a large number of

Rain or snow that evaporates as it
forecasters results will be better its analysis,
falls into a layer of dry air near the earths
forecasting
surface is called virga. While virga can
possible with Doppler radar.
and
warning
applications
happen at any time during the year, it is most

common during winter, when low-level air is
References
very dry. As falling precipitation evaporates

it moistens the dry air from the top down. If
1. www.radarmagzine.com
the precipitation lasts, the air becomes moist

enough to block evaporation and the rain or
2. www.google.com/tdw radar
snow reaches the ground.
3. www.radarsystems.com
4. www.ieee.com
Fig 5 Rain Detection by the Radar
CONCLUSION
The
early
experience
operational
forecasters
88D's
being installed
are
Forecast
that
they
Offices
across
as
the
at
the
of
WSR-
Weather
U.S
is
are able to improve their

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A paper on

RADAR ANTENNA COMMUNICATION

ST.JOHNS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

is typically located near to population centers

Weather Radar (TDWR) installed in airports

and congested airspace, so that it is well

to provide wind shear detection services and

situated for supporting weather services for

precipitation reflectivity data to controllers

operationally important areas.

and supervisors. The TDWRs narrow beam

As the name suggests, the Terminal Doppler

and aggressive ground clutter suppression

Weather Radar (TDWR) was purposely built

to serve the terminal area of the airport. Its

boundary layer reflectivity and winds

mission is to detect wind shear and so as to

particular the locations of thunderstorm

enhance the safety of aircraft landing and

outflow boundaries. These data are known to

takeoff. It is located near the airport at a

be essential for providing high resolution

distance of 12 km so that it has a clear view

convective weather forecasts out to two

of the runways, airport approach and

hours. Similarly, its narrow beam could be

useful for detection of severe weather

The TDWR is specially designed to

signatures (e.g., tornado vortices) with small

operate in a high clutter environment

azimuth extent. Relative to the Weather

normally present in the vicinity of airports. It

Service Radar 88-D (NEXRAD) it scans

makes use of a variety of methods to

rapidly (e.g., surface updates once per

minimize clutter and to eliminate the

minute), facilitating monitoring of rapidly

influence of such moving targets as birds,

evolving low altitude wind shear hazards. It

Extension Program (SLEP) to improve

The TDWR system was designed and built in

introduce improved capability.

has recently been re-hosted from a Harris

subsystems. The existing TDWR DSP

Nighthawk UNIX system to one based on a

subsystem hardware consists of a mixture of

pair of redundant SGI Origin computers. The

COTS and custom cards, installed in a single

next major digital subsystem to be addressed,

19 Multibus system chassis. The COTS

and the focus of this paper is the RDA,

boards include a 68020-based single-board

which includes the receiver and DSP

Figure 2. Air Traffic Control Analysis

WEATHER SERVICE RETIRES LAST

five boards to handle the A/D interface and

The new radars are more sensitive, which

filtering, and six boards to handle the