PROJECT REPORT ON A STUDY OF MOBILE DUAL POLARIZED X-BAND DOPPLER RADAR INSTALLED AT IITM PUNE

Submitted By: Vivek Singh (Trainee Scientist) CAT, IITM, PUNE

Submitted to: Dr. P.E.Raj (Scientist-F) IITM, PUNE

But by providing the background picture - the universal situational awareness that we desire - by showing the anomalies, the Radar will change the nature of how we do our analysis and our intelligence.

What Is Radar? Radar is an Electromagnetic Sensor for the detection and location of reflecting objects. It's operation can be summarized as follows: (a) The Radar radiates electromagnetic energy from an antenna to propagate in space. (b)Some of the radiated energy is intercepted by a reflecting object, usually called a target, located at a distance from the radar. (c)The energy intercepted by the target is re radiated in many directions. (d)Some of the re radiated (echo) energy is returned to and received by the Radar Antenna. (e) After amplification by a receiver and with the aid of proper signal processing, a decision is made at the output of receiver as to whether or not a target echo signal is present. At that time, the target location and possibly other information about the target is acquired Basic Parts of Radar: Figure 1 is a very elementary basic block diagram showing the subsystems usually found in a Radar. The detailed description about different parts of Radar is presented below: Transmitter: The Transmitter, which is shown here in figure 1, as a Power Amplifier generates a suitable waveform for the particular job the radar is to perform. It might have an average power as small as milliwatts or as large as megawatts.(The average power is a far better indication of the capability of a Radar's performance than is its peak power). Most Radars use a short pulse waveform so that a single antenna can be used on a time- shared basis for both transmitting and receiving.

The Block Diagram of a Simple Radar employing a Power Amplifier as the 'Transmitter' in the upper portion of the figure and a Superheterodyne Receiver in the lower portion of the figure:

Figure: 1 Duplexer: The function of the duplexer is to allow a single antenna to be used by protecting the sensitive receiver from burning out while the transmitter is on and by directing the received echosignal to the receiver, rather than to the transmitter. Antenna: The Antenna is the device that allows the transmitted energy to be propagated into space and then collects the echo energy on receive. It is almost always a directive antenna, one that directs the radiated energy into a narrow beam to concentrate the power as well as to allow the determination of the direction to the target. An antenna, that produces a narrow directive beam on transmit usually has a large area on receive to allow the collection of weak echo signals from the target. The Antenna not only concentrates the energy on transmit and collects the echo energy on receive, but it also acts as a spatial filter to provide angle resolution and other capabilities. The Receiver: The Receiver amplifies the weak received signal to a level where its presence can be detected. Because noise is the ultimate limitation on the ability of radar to make a reliable detection decision and extract information about the target, care is taken to insure that the receiver produces very little noise of its own. Types of Radar: There are different types of Radar. Some of those are listed below: (a) Pulse Radar (b) High Resolution Radar (c) Pulse compression Radar (d) Continuous wave Radar (e) Surveillance Radar (f) Moving Target Indication(MTI Radar) (g) Doppler weather Radar etc.

Doppler Weather Radar: This is a weather observation Radar that employs the Doppler frequency Shift caused by the moving weather effects to determine the wind, The wind shear(when the wind blows in different directions),Which can Indicate a dangerous weather condition such as Tornado, or a downburst of wind; as well as other meteorological effects. Doppler radar can be divided into several different categories according to the wavelength of the radar. The different bands are L,S,C,X,K. The names of the radars originate from the days of WWII. L band radars operate on a wavelength of 15-30 cm and a frequency of 1-2 GHz. L band radars are mostly used for clear air turbulence studies. S band radars operate on a wavelength of 8-15 cm and a frequency of 2-4 GHz. Be cause of the wavelength and frequency, S band radars are not easily attenuated. This makes them useful for near and far range weather observation. The National Weather Service (NWS) uses S band radars on a wavelength of just over 10 cm. The drawback to this band of radar is that it requires a large antenna dish and a large motor to power it. It is not uncommon for a S band dish to exceed 25 feet in size. C band radars operate on a wavelength of 4-8 cm and a frequency of 4-8 GHz. Be cause of the wavelength and frequency, the dish size does not need to be very large. This makes C band radars affordable for TV stations. The signal is more easily attenuated, so this type of radar is best used for short range weather observation. The frequency allows C band radars to create a smaller beam width using a smaller dish.C band radars also do not require as much power as an S band radar. The NWS transmits at 750,000 watts of power for their S band, where as a private TV station such as

KCCI-TV in Des Moines only broadcasts at 270,000 watts of power with their C band radar. X band radars operate on a wavelength of 2.5-4 cm and a frequency of 8-12 GHz. Be cause of the smaller wavelength, the X band radar is more sensitive and can detect smaller particles. These radars are used for studies on cloud development because they can detect the tiny water particles and also used to detect light precipitation such as snow. X band radars also attenuate very easily, so they are used for only very short range weather observation. Also, due to the small size of the radar, it can therefore be portable like the Doppler on Wheels. (DOW) Most major airplanes are equipped with an X band radar to pick up turbulence and other weather phenomenon. This band is also shared with some police speed radars and some space radars. K band radars operate on a wavelength of .75-1.2 cm or 1.7-2.5 cm and a corresponding frequency of 27-40 GHz and 12-18 GHz. This band is split down the middle due to a strong absorption line in water vapor. This band is similar to the X band but is just more sensitive. This band also shares space with police radars. IITM X Band Radar: The IITM has a powerful X-band (2.5 c.m.) Magnetron based Simultaneous Dual Polarization (SIDPOL) Doppler weather Surveillance Radar System.

IITM X Band Radar Specification

Transmitter

Transmitter Type Transmitter Power Frequency Range Minimum measuring range Maximum measuring range Range resolution Sensitivity Transmitter Polarization Beam width Pulse repetition frequency

Coaxial Magnetron
200 kW

9.3 9.6 GHz (X-Band) 1 km 128 km 75 m corresponding to = 0.5 sec -20 dBz at 10 km Both H & V 1 0.5 5 kHz Antenna

Antenna Side lobe Azimuth steering Vertical Steering Receiver Polarization Antenna mounting

Steerable Parabolic Antenna with (Radome) Better than -28 dB tapering to -30 dB 360 with 0.05 accuracy and 0-6 rpm -2 to +92 with 0.05 accuracy Both H & V Trailor-mountable (Low Buoy) Signal Processing Digital receiver, Pulse Pair and FFT <3 dB ZDR, KDP, HV, Z, V,, DP, LDR Custom-built licensed software with all inbuilt algorithms for rain rate estimation through combination of polarimetric vari ables and hydrometeor classification. BITE and self-calibration with Doppler and polarimetric Industrial workstations with GUI for po eration, control of the radar and display of the data and results.

Doppler processing Noise Ratio Polarimetric outputs Software

Calibration Computer and control

Container & Power Requirements Power 230 V 10 V, 50 1 Hz, Three phase

Container Technical Description & Hardware

Shelter (Preferably Aluminium container) for radar system, radar operator, air conditioner etc.

The base Doppler Weather Surveillance Radar includes: (a) A high-power Transmitter and associated control circuit; with output power level of 200 kW. (b) A sensitive dual channel Radio Frequency (RF) Receiver Front End and associated control circuit. (c)An Integrated dual channel intermediate Frequency (IF) Digital Receiver, and associated control circuit. (d) Radar Signal Processor, and associated control circuit. (e) A system master STAble Local Oscillator (STALO) Synthesizer. (f) Antenna/Pedestal with RF Enclosure, SIDPOL waveguide, and associated control circuit. The transmitter all provides a selection of 4 pulse widths from 0.4 sec to 2.0 sec with output Power of 200 kW. The transmitter model provides sufficient power for ex cellent Doppler and non-Doppler weather detection at the maximum system range. The transmitter uses a staggered Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF) at PRF ratios of 3:2, 4:3, or 5:4. The staggered PRF technique provides the Radar Signal Processor dual PRF samples that can produce maximum unambiguous velocities of 2, 3, or 4 times the frequency dependent base maximum unambiguous velocity. The system master Stable Local Oscillator (STALO) provides the Radar Signal Processor with a stable RF frequency reference that is compared to the transmitted pulse to maintain coherency-on receive. Consequently, the Doppler Weather Surveillance Radar

typically achieves clutter rejectiongreater than -40 dB.The 60 MHz Intermediate Frequency (IF) signals from the received horizontally and vertically polarized radar returns are digitized by the Radar Signal Processor high-speed digitizer. The Radar Signal Processor is designed to optimize detection sensitivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, measurement accuracy, and useful life.The Radar Signal Processor is the central radar data processing point and has ample power to quickly process the captured data. The Radar Signal Processor employs pulse-pair Doppler processing techniques and produces standard Uncorrected Reflectivity (U), Corrected Reflectivity (Z), Velocity (V), Spectrum Width (W), and Dual Polarization data moments. General radar system control is implemented through a Radar Control Unit (RCU). The RCU is an Ethernet ap pliance that is closely integrated with the Digital Receiver and Radar Signal Processor. In general, the RCU is used to collect information on radar performance and to control the Antenna/Pedestal operational parameters. The RCU passes all internal radar control and status signals to and from the Transmitter/Receiver and between the Transmitter cabinet, the Control cabinet, the Pedestal, and the EDGE Radar Host Workstation via a 10/100 Ethernet. Antenna drive signals are produced by operator initiated antenna control commands. Actual antenna position data is routed from the antenna position reporting devices through the RCU to the Radar Signal Processor. Operator commands from either the Local or Remote EDGE Radar Control Workstation are processed and routed by the RCU to the radar control circuits. Raw data inputs, digital video, and antenna position data are processed and routed to the Radar Signal Processor. The Radar Signal Processor produces and routes Reflectivity, Velocity, Spectrum Width, and Dual Polariza tion moments to the EDGE Application Software Product Generator Processor (PGP).

The Radar Signal Processor trigger generator produces highly stable and accurate system control and timing signals. EDGE Application Software System Normal radar control and data processing is accomplished with the EDGE application software. EDGE is a mature application software system that is present in more than 300 installations around the world. The latest EDGE version operates under the Linux operating system and is designed to operate seamlessly in an Ethernet environment as a single comprehensive application software system. EDGE provides: Radar remote control System status monitoring Communications and network control Data archiving control Data processing Meteorological product generation

EDGE provides a wide range of meteorological data products to meet the requirements of diverseoperational missions that range from hydrological research to aviation weather forecasting. EDGE can be implemented in many different configurations from full real-time remote control stations to passive display stations. The Doppler Weather Radar Systems flexibility enables EDGE to serve many diverse mission requirements from a single radar system.

The Block Diagram of X Band Radar is shown on the next page

ANTENNA

TRANSMITTER SYSTEM DUPLEXER MAGNETRON MODULATOR HVPS

LNA

MIXER I IFD Q

RECEIVER SYSTEM STALO

Figure 2: X- Band Radar System Block Diagram

D8XM2 Series Antenna/Pedestal The D-Series Standard Pedestal is a high stiffness Aluminum Pedestal capable of supporting a variety of standard antenna sizes up to 6.1 meters in diameter. Here we use the short (35 in) version. The standard antenna used here for the X-Band system is a 2.4 meter (8-foot) diameter high precision, prime focus-fed, parabolic antenna with clam shell cover ideal for weather surveillance application, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3:

D8XM2 Antenna/Pedestal Assembly D-Series

EEC manufactures the entire D-Series Pedestal at the Enterprise, Alabama facility. The combined highly reliable performance capabilities of the D-Series Pedestal and the electrical precision of the 2.4 meter (8-foot) diameter antennas are an ideal combination for supporting all customers unique weather radar applications. This D8SM1 Antenna system has several major components:

Short (35 in) Pedestal. Antenna Drive System. Reflector 2.4 meter (8-foot). RF Enclosure (for Sidpol systems).

Magnetron The magnetron, as shown in Figure 3, will generate an RF pulse upon receiving the modulator Signal. This pulse will then go into the waveguide for transmission. The Magnetron is a precision high-power coaxial vacuum tube oscillator Which is mechanically tuned to a specific frequency? It generates stable peak power output RF Pulses over its frequency range. This type of Magnetron has a permanent magnet integral to the Tube.The Magnetron is driven by the Modulator Assembly and its output is routed out of the Transmitter Assembly to the Antenna via the Waveguide Assembly

Figure 4: The Magnetron

The Magnetron is shocked into oscillation by a cathode pulse as driven by the Modulator. The cathode at the bottom of Figure 4 emits a cloud of electrons in the tube that interacts with the tubes electric field and magnetic field in a manner that produces a high energy RF pulse. The Magnetron is capable of producing, at high power, energy in pulses at a wide range of PRFs. An RF probe picks off the RF energy pulses at the Magnetron output at the right of Figure 4 and couples them into the Waveguide Assembly. Modulator The Modulator, as shown in Figure 4, is used to generate a high energy (voltage and current) pulse that activates the Magnetron. The Modulator is designed to cathode pulse a coaxial Magnetron with pulses at a PRF as selected by the operator. The Modulator delivers a high voltage pulse to the cathode of the Magnetron with sufficient rise and fall time so as not to exceed the maximum limits of the system including duty cycle. The Modulator has been assigned to supply the needed power to drive the Magnetron.

Figure 5: The Modulator

The High Voltage Power Supply (HVPS) The HVPS, as shown in Figure 5, is the device that converts the standard AC power to a high voltage, high current DC power source to provide the energy to generate the radar signal. The main input power for the Modulator Assembly is connected to the rear of the Power Supply. The Power Supply, as shown in Figure 4, delivers power to the Modulator via the Modulator Assembly Wire Harness through terminals on the top of the Modulator.

Figure 6: The HVPS

Receiver System In EEC Sidpol radar systems, both the single (horizontally) polarized mode and the dual(horizontally and vertically) polarized mode of the receive signal travels through the same components as the transmit signal from the antenna feed horn back to the cir culator(s). In an EEC Sidpol radar system, the two circulators that separate the receive signal from the transmit signal on port 3 are located in the waveguide switch assembly on the pedestal. The horizontally polarized circulator handles the horizontally polar ized signal. The vertically polarized circulator handles the vertically polarized signal. From each circulator, an individual receiver channel begins for their respective polariz ation. From port 3 of the circulator the signal travels through a T/R Limiter, a W/G to SMA adaptor, and RF switch, to the Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) for that channel. From the W/G to SMA adaptor the signal enters the RF/IF Down-Converter Assembly located in the RF Enclosure. There are some losses due to isolators and couplers between the major components described below. Never-theless, each channel of the receiver, as a whole, has a system gain of 30 dB.

Radar Signal Processor

ENIGMA III+ Signal Processor

The Enigma III+ Radar Signal Processor is designed to provide the greatest power and flexibility available in a weather-radar signal processor. The system consists of three building blocks, as shown in Figure 7: A IF Digitizer which can deliver a linear dynamic range of >105 dB, a PCI Receiver, and a Host computer.

Figure 7: ENIGMA III + Module

The IF Digitizer (IFD) is connected to the radar front end. The analog IF signals are received from the radar front end receiver, digitized and band pass filtered in the IF Digitizer module. The processed I/Q data are then sent to the PCI Receiver card located in a standard PC computer. In addition, the burst pulse is analyzed with respect to frequency, phase, and amplitude to provide digital phase locking, AFC, and advanced processing and control features not present in traditional radars. The received data from the IF Digitizer are further processed on the PCI receiver (Phase detected in case of Magnetron transmitter). The In-phase and Quadrature samples are sent to the host computer via PCI Bus mastered DMA transfer in 32 Bit IEEE floating point format and processed on the host computer. AFC processing, Angle syncing, PRF control, and other real time functions are also performed on the PCI receiver. The radar host computer extracts weather Information to obtain Intensity, Velocity, Spectral Width, and Dual Polarization moments like ZDR, LDR, KDP, PHIDP and RHOHV. This operation includes Doppler and Intensity processing to extract the calibrated Reflectivity, the mean Velocity, and Spectrum Width. Clutter filtering by Doppler filtering in either the time- or frequency-domain, thresholding and velocity unfolding by either dual PRF or random phase based second trip processing for magnetron radars. All standard moments calculated on the radar host computer are then available for further dissemination via TCP/IP protocol.

Figure 8: ENIGMA III+ System Interface (Magnetron)

Performance Capabilities

The specific performance capabilities of the Radar Signal Processor depend on various radar system parameters and the specific type of data required. Parameters affecting performance are: Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF). Number of pulses integrated (Sample Size). Type of clutter filter. Type of processing (pulse pair, FFT, dual PRF, mapped clutter filters...). The manner in which the multiple radar signal processor channels are used.

The Radar Signal Processor can process more than 2,100 range bins (gates)/ray in all normal operational configurations.

Maintenance
The EEC Doppler Weather Surveillance Radar systems are designed for easy maintenance, taking full advantage of the BITE subsystem capabilities and the Local Control Interface (LCI) that contains a manually selectable Local/Remote switch. Maintenance personnel can use the Local/Remote switch to gain Local radar system control. In Local control mode, maintenance personnel can use archived BITE data, built-in automatic calibration capability, and easy access test points to accomplish system testing, calibration, and repair with minimum down time.

Application of Radar in Meteorology

Quantitative Precipitation Estimation/measurements Wind measurements Turbulence and wind shear detection Location of melting level in Stratiform precipitation Meso-cyclone detection Cyclone/Typhoon/Hurricane structure Wind data assimilation in numerical weather prediction models Forecasting of severe weather Now casting Hail and aircraft icing detection