The Engineering Research Center for the Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) has a ten-year vision to create a collaborative, low-cost, dual-polarization, phased array radar network, designed to automatically and dynamically adapt in real-time to changing weather and end-user needs. To achieve this goal, a series of five testbeds, known as Integrative Projects (IPs), are being developed in order to demonstrate and test these new technologies.

The first of these testbeds, IP1, is comprised of four dual-polarization X-band radars located in southwestern Oklahoma. All four radars of IP1 were installed by 1 May 2006, and associated signal processing, detection algorithms, and display software were installed during the summer of 2006; IP1 was operational by 1 September 2006. The four IP1 radars collaborate adaptively in real-time, with collective scanning strategies updated every 30-seconds as modified by rapidly evolving weather and end-user priorities. Data are transmitted in real-time to researchers, the NWS, and emergency managers, and automated detection algorithms provide immediate feedback to the radar control software. Data are also made available for assimilation into numerical models.

This paper will present a summary of the status and operations of IP1, as well as future plans for operations. Initial results from the testbed will be shown, and specific advantages and disadvantages of a collaborative and adaptive network will be examined.