WSR-88D Open Radar Data Acquisition (ORDA) Algorithm Evaluations

The ORDA will replace the current WSR-88D Radar Data Acquisition (RDA) subsystem in 2006 to improve: 1) receiver and signal processing hardware; 2) user interface; 3) signal processing and diagnostic software; 4) system reliability, maintainability, availability; and 5) data quality. As part of the data quality evaluation, ROC Applications Branch personnel compared products from 20 algorithms both qualitatively and quantitatively from Legacy and ORDA systems.

The data quality team determined that output between Legacy and ORDA algorithms should have a correlation coefficient of 0.7 or greater. The correlation threshold was established at this level because the algorithm comparisons were conducted from two adjacent radars whose viewing geometry of the same storm or velocity feature depended on azimuth and range from both radars. If the correlation coefficient is less than the 0.7 criterion, then an acceptable explanation for the discrepancy is needed.

Qualitative and quantitative analyses, scatter diagrams, and correlation coefficients demonstrated that ORDA and Legacy algorithm products are similar. Algorithm comparison procedures and results will be shown.