U.S. Army atmospheric profiler research facility: a preliminary view

摘要

Abstract: The U.S. Army Atmospheric Sciences Laboratory has established a unique atmospheric research facility at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico. The Atmospheric Profiler Research Facility (APRF) monitors three primary atmospheric parameters: wind (speed an direction), refractive index structure parameter C$-n$/$+2$/, and ambient temperature. The APRF includes a suite of high performance (temporal and spatial resolution) phased-array, multiple reflector, and multiple aperture type atmospheric profilers. Specialized and standard surface and balloon-borne instrumentation are deployed to provide local ground truth, comparison and calibration data. The Facility achieves a high-resolution height coverage to approximately 20 km. The products of the APRF support research applications, including research and development testbed analyses, imaging and propagation system design and testing, meteorological and earth-observation satellite ground comparison; and environmental forecasting improvement at WSMR. The design and capabilities of the APRF are described. Preliminary measured and derived atmospheric parameters as well as initial comparisons are presented. !6