The Enhancement of the Dugway Proving Ground Meteorological Sensing Capabilities

The U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground (DPG) chemical/biological defense test mission has existed for more than 50 years. Within the past 5 years, the amount and type of instrumentation has increased dramatically, creating one of the most densely instrumented locations in the United States.

Recently, acquisitions include several remote sensors such C-Band Doppler Radar, X- Band Mobile Doppler Radar, Doppler Lidar, and a 449 Mhz radar wind profiler. Remote sensors are complemented by surface-based measurements, including a network of electric field meters, and a mesoscale observation network. Automated meteorological measurements are made at over 100 DPG sites, with many sites collecting data at rates as high as 1 Hz. This improved capability provides a nearly holistic view of the atmosphere. Case-study examples of the sensing network's utility in examining the evolution of both warm and cold season phenomena are discussed.