The development and validation of an X-band dual polarization Doppler weather radar test node for a tropical network

An automated network of three X-band dual polarization Doppler weather radars is in process of being deployed and operational on the western coast of Puerto Rico. Colorado State University and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez have collaborated to install the first polarimetric weather radar network in a tropical environment, known as TropiNet, to observe the lowest 2 km of the troposphere where the National Weather Service NEXRAD radar in Cayey, PR (TJUA) has obstructed views of the west coast, below 1.5 km due to terrain blockage and the Earth curvature problem. The CSU-X25P radar test node was developed, validated, and deployed to Mayaguez, PR in early 2011 to make first observations of this tropical region, and served as a pilot project to verify the infrastructure of the TropiNet network. This research describes the CSU-X25P radar test node, presenting the radar system specifications and an overview of the data acquisition and signal processing sub-systems, and the antenna positioner and control sub-system. The development and validation process included integration, sub-system calibration and test, and a final evaluation by conducting end-to-end calibration of the radar system. Validation of the calculated data moments, include Doppler velocity, reflectivity, differential reflectivity, differential propagation phase, and specific differential phase. The validation was accomplished by comparative analysis of data from coordinated scans between CSU-X25P and the well-established CSU-CHILL S-band polarimetric Doppler weather radar, in Greeley, CO. Upon validation, CSU-X25P was disassembled, packaged, and shipped to Puerto Rico to be fully deployed for operation in a tropical seaside environment. This research presents select observations of severe weather events, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, which attest to the robustness of the radar test node, and the TropiNet network infrastructure.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Colorado State University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Authors dc:creator

• Galvez, Miguel Bustamante, author
• Chandrasekar, V., advisor
• Bringi, V. N., committee member
• Mielke, Paul W., committee member

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018681

Identifier

ETDF2012400425ECEN

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/74429