Implementation and Development of an Attenuation Correction Algorithm for Off-The-Grid X-Band Radar Network

The Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) Engineering Research Center (ERC) at UPRM developed an Off-The-Grid (OTG) X-band single polarized radar network deployed in the Puerto Rico west coast. With this kind of radar it is possible to observe some meteorological events that might not be detected by NEXRAD radar due to earth curvature. The main goal of this research is to break with the paradigm and limitations of using X-band OTG radars as a reliable forecast system, where the principal issue is the attenuation due to rain along the path. To overcome this problem the attenuated signal could be rectified through a correction algorithm based on reflectivity and also an ideal polarization (vertical or horizontal) will be identified to certain effects of rain attenuation. To correct for attenuation a hybrid between Hitschfeld – Bordan (HB) method and a Surface Reference Technique (SRT) would be used where the reference signal is the NEXRAD radar data because is considered negligible to attenuation