The NCAR 449 MHz modular wind profiler—prototype deployment and future plans

Wind profiler radars are widely deployed to provide key supporting measurements for a broad range of meteorological and climate studies. NCAR / EOL has deployed its four wind profilers on over 40 field projects over the last 20 years, however has only had limited flexibility with its existing 915 MHz boundary layer profilers to meet the widely varying needs of the diverse field programs that have been supported. EOL proposes to develop a network of profiling stations known as the Modular Profiling Network (MPN). MPN will include a new wind profiler, currently under development, that consists of a set of modular panels that can be operated together in various groupings to provide flexible profiling capability at a range of scales. For example, the modules could be deployed as multiple small radars to study the boundary layer over an extended area. Alternatively, the modules could be combined together to create a larger radar capable of probing higher into the atmosphere. The new wind profiler operates at 449 MHz, and features a low side-lobe antenna design, scalable electronics and advanced signal processing methods. A prototype 3-module boundary layer system has already been developed and successfully deployed during the recent PCAPS (Persistent Cold Air Pool Study) experiment in the Salt Lake valley, and preliminary results will be presented. The system is currently being expanded to 7 modules. Ultimately at least 19 modules are proposed, which would allow six (3-module) boundary layer profilers, or two (7-module) mid-troposphere profilers, or one (19-module) full troposphere profiler to be deployed. The new system would be deployed with lidars and other sensors and is intended to meet the diverse needs for the studies of the surface layer, boundary layer, free troposphere, and tropopause.