| Dual mobile C-band Doppler radars under development | |
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A coalition of researchers from Oklahoma and Texas have pooled their expertise to design, build and deploy a mobile dual-radar system known as the Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radars (SMART-R). Scientists will use SMART-R to take measurements of cloud-scale and mesoscale kinematics, dynamics, and cloud-precipitation physics to better understand tornadic thunderstorms, squall lines, hurricanes, and the role of surface boundaries in the initiation of storms. The SMART-R partners include NSSL scientists Conrad Ziegler, Lou Wicker and Erik Rasmussen, with Professors Michael Biggerstaff (Texas A&M University), Tim Doggett (Texas Tech University) and Jerry Straka (University of Oklahoma). Funds to build the SMART-Rs were provided by combining research grants with discretionary funds and in-kind support from the four parent institutions. The radars are being developed in two phases: 1) fabricating two mobile
C-band Doppler radars, with tentative completion in April 2001, 2) converting
at least one SMART-R to dual polarization capability beginning in December
2001. Phase 1 is nearly completed, with antenna-pedestal assembly finished,
radar hardware and software components and two diesel trucks delivered,
and a SMART-R technician hired at NSSL to support system development
and maintenance. A paper reporting details of the design and fabrication
of the SMART-R's was presented at the American Meteorological Society's
20th Conference on Severe Local Storms.
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