87th AMS Annual Meeting

Wednesday, 17 January 2007: 11:15 AM
Initial implementation of super-resolution data on the NEXRAD network
217A (Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center)
Sebastian M. Torres, CIMMS/Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK; and C. D. Curtis
Poster PDF (147.6 kB)
Legacy-resolution base data on the NEXRAD network consists of reflectivity on a 1 km-by-1 deg polar grid and Doppler velocity and spectrum width on a similar 250 m-by-1 deg grid. It has been shown through simulations that mesocyclone and tornado signatures can be detected at ranges 50% greater than the current detectable ranges using a narrower effective antenna beamwidth and base data on a 250 m-by-0.5 deg grid. Data produced this way is termed super-resolution data. Super-resolution data will become available in upcoming updates of the NEXRAD network and should lead to increased warning times and reductions in property damage, injuries, and loss of life. Producing super-resolution data involves balancing the scientific and operational gains with the constraints imposed by the existing system and compatibility issues associated with other techniques scheduled for inclusion on the NEXRAD network. Initially, super-resolution data will be available for visualization purposes only, and the algorithms will continue to operate on a legacy-resolution data stream. A long-term goal is to modify the algorithms so that the benefits of super-resolution data can be fully exploited. This paper presents an overview of the “stage-one” implementation of super-resolution data on the NEXRAD network.

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