An Update of the Phased Array Research Program at the National Severe Storms Laboratory

Phased array radar (PAR) research and development has continued to accelerate at NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL). The Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD), an S-band, dual-pol PAR developed in collaboration with NSSL, MIT-LL, and General Dynamics, underwent initial system testing from 2018-2021 and reached initial operational capability in 2021. The last several years of installing, testing, and calibrating the ATD has resulted in a capable proof-of-concept radar that is meeting engineering and research needs to advance radar science. This presentation will summarize the last five years of PAR R&D at the NSSL and detail several key milestones that have been met. The ability to calibrate a dual-pol PAR, adaptive beamforming, quality data, and ongoing data collection in the past two years will be highlighted. In addition to the engineering and scientific advances, the ATD is able to provide critical information to the National Weather Service (NWS) informing the decision as to whether PAR is an alternative for the next Weather Surveillance Radar. Additionally, future opportunities and efforts will be discussed.