MRI: A Rapid-Scan Mobile Doppler Radar

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The Doppler on Wheels (DOW) program at the University of Oklahoma (in close collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research) has developed single beam, mobile Doppler radars. These have enabled the collection of very high resolution Doppler data on a variety of meteorological phenomena including tornadoes and convective storms in mountains. These data have allowed major advances to be made in the atmospheric sciences.Under the NSF Major Research Instrumentation program, the Principal Investigator will develop an advanced, five-beam mobile Doppler radar. This will allow researchers to acquire rapid scan Doppler radar information at higher temporal resolution than previously possible.There is a compelling need for three-dimensional Doppler radar observations on short time scales. Tornadoes, small-scale boundary layer structures in hurricanes, microbursts and other phenomena evolve on time scales that are unobservable using traditional radars. An innovative design will permit rapid-scan observations using a hybrid electronic/mechanical scanning system with multiple simultaneous transmit and receive beams. This instrument will be used by researchers to open up new avenues of research.