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Doppler spectra of Tornadoes

• 1958: 1st measurement of tornadic winds
  • USWB CW Doppler radar
• 1973: 1st measurement of tornadic winds with pulsed Doppler radar (NSSL)
• 1977: 1st direct measurement of tornadic winds with NSSL’s high PRF Doppler.
  • OU/NSSL cooperative effort

1. Notes:
   1955: James Q. Brantley of the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory (CAL) built a CW radar for the detection of weather motions (Brantley and Barczys, 6th Weather Radar Conference, 1957). This CW Doppler radar (or one like it) was a Navy radar modified by Brantley for use by the United States Weather Bureau (USWB) in 1957, 58, and 59 in attempts to detect tornados on the Great Plains.  On June 10th, 1958, a major tornado entered the city of El Dorado, Kansas and was observed with the USWB’s CW Doppler radar.
2. 1973, Dusan analyzed time series data obtained from the Stillwater Tornado.
3. 1977, The high PRF capability that was added to the Norman Doppler radar was a cooperative effort between OU (Dr. Tuma) and NSSL.