Scanning Strategies for Next Generation Weather Radars. A Study Based on Lifetimes of Convective Atmospheric Phenomena Hazardous to Aviation.

摘要

This report presents the methodology and results of a study to estimate the lifetimes of significant features in typical storm phenomena. These results are expected to help in deciding the scan strategy of NEXRAD radars. In particular, the question of the adequacy of a 5-minute information update rate for NEXRAD in its aviation weather surveillance role has been addressed. Two methods are used for the lifetime study: photo-interpretive and computer-based correlation. The basis and program steps of the correlation method are discussed. Several storms are studied using both methods. It is found that the storms studied contain no feature that might have been missed by a 5-minute scan cycle provided that data from all the three-moment fields (reflectivity, radial velocity, and Doppler spectrum width) at several elevations are utilized in the detection of hazardous phenomena. (Author)