The University of Louisiana at Monroe's Polarimetric Doppler Radar—Teaching, Research, and Operations

Through a partnership between university, state government, and the private sector, the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) has acquired a S-band polarimetric Doppler radar, scheduled to be operational in Fall 2015. The radar system, supplied by Enterprise Electronics Corporation (EEC), is fully funded by a grant awarded to ULM through the Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOSHEP). The radar site is located along U.S. Highway 80, approximately 3.5 km northeast of the Monroe Regional Airport and approximately 6 km due east of the ULM campus. At this location, the ULM radar will fill a NEXRAD coverage deficiency in northeast Louisiana and southeast Arkansas.

The radar will serve as a basic education and research tool for ULM's Atmospheric Science Department, supporting the creation of at least two new courses devoted to Radar Meteorology. For what is likely a first at a primarily undergraduate institution, Atmospheric Science students will gain radar-operating experience as part of standard course work, as well as learning basic to advanced analysis and interpretation techniques. ULM's Atmospheric Science laboratory space will be upgraded to serve as a radar control and data center, with data transport being handled via dedicated fiber lines from the radar site to ULM.

In addition to the education and research applications, ULM's radar will assist operational interests in the region. Radar data will be provided directly to state and local emergency managers during severe weather events affecting northeastern Louisiana. Data will also be provided to the Shreveport, LA and Jackson, MS NWS Forecast Offices for warning decision support. To satisfy both operational and research consideration, the radar will be operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in surveillance, full, or sector volume modes. Junior and/or senior undergraduate students are expected to participate in radar operations during active weather events.

The purpose of this presentation is to outline specifications of the radar system, its benefits to the operational and research community, current and future research considerations, and specific teaching applications.