MRI: Development of a Multi-Channel Receiver for the Realization of Multi-Mission Capabilities at the National Weather Radar Testbed

该开发项目包括设计和建造一个独特的接收器，该接收器将数字化来自国家气象雷达试验台（NWRT）相控阵天线上八个通道的雷达信号。目前，一个单通道数字接收机正在运行，以模拟当前的作战气象雷达能力。新的多通道能力将促进新一代自适应/快速扫描技术和跨波束风估计。这将改善天气警报，并有助于改善数值天气预报。带有这种多通道接收机的相控阵雷达将适用于多任务能力，如飞机跟踪、风暴跟踪和降水监测，所有这些都可以同时以高保真度完成。智力优势：多通道接收机套件将从和、方位差、仰角差和六个宽波束辅助通道收集信号。NWRT的主要优点之一是能够自适应地扫描天气现象，其时间分辨率比目前的机械制导天气雷达（1分钟或更短，分别为4分钟）更高，而不会影响数据精度。多通道接收器将允许直接实施干涉测量技术，以在雷达分辨率范围内测量横波束风、风切变和湍流。对辅助信道的访问将使杂波缓解和高级阵列处理成为可能，从而获得更高质量的数据。差分信号将大大提高雷达精确定位飞机位置的能力。更广泛的影响：潜在的好处包括更好地了解风暴动力学和起源，更好地探测包括龙卷风和微爆发在内的小规模现象，增加恶劣天气预警的提前时间，改进数值天气预报。由于恶劣天气造成的生命和财产损失将通过进一步的预警来减少。全国各地的研究人员将可以访问这些数字数据，以研究先进的信号处理技术、新的检索方法以及在改进天气预报方面的应用。在集成到NWRT之前，该仪器的组装和测试将在俄克拉何马大学（OU）的新雷达创新实验室（RIL）完成。国家强风暴实验室将在该仪器的设计和整合中发挥积极作用。不同的学生群体将被鼓励分享最先进的硬件和科学发现的兴奋。这将通过利用开放大学已经成功的项目来实现，比如一个名为SPARC（信号处理和雷达计算）的独特的研究和教学项目。这项倡议专门针对少数民族和女性学生。NWRT是由俄克拉何马大学、美国国家海洋和大气管理局/国家气象局、美国联邦航空局、洛克希德-马丁公司、海军研究办公室和BCI公司组成的多成员国家伙伴关系。通过NWRT，这个由工程师和学者组成的社区致力于推进用于检测恶劣天气和飞机识别的多任务雷达系统的科学。他们的共同目标是通过网络和数字图书馆提供下一代数据，使NWRT分散化。

This development project includes the design and construction of a unique receiver that will digitize radar signals coming from eight channels on the phased array antenna at the National Weather Radar Testbed (NWRT). At the current time, a single-channel digital receiver is operational to mimic current operational weather radar capability. The new multi-channel capability will foster a new generation of adaptive/fast scanning techniques and cross-beam wind estimates. This will improve weather warnings as well as contribute to improved numerical weather prediction. The phased array radar with this multichannel receiver will be suited for multi-mission capabilities, such as aircraft tracking, storm tracking, and precipitation monitoring, all done simultaneously with a high degree of fidelity. Intellectual Merit: The multi-channel receiver suite will collect signals from the sum, azimuth-difference, elevation-difference, and six broad-beamed auxiliary channels. One of the major advantages of the NWRT is the capability to adaptively scan weather phenomena at higher temporal resolution than is possible by current mechanically-steered weather radars (1 min or less vs. 4 min, respectively) without compromising data accuracy. The multi-channel receiver will allow direct implementation of interferometry techniques to measure cross-beam wind, wind shear, and turbulence, within a radar resolution volume. Access to the auxiliary channels will enable clutter mitigation and advanced array processing for higher quality data. The differential signals will greatly add to the radar's ability to pinpoint aircraft locations. Broader Impacts: Potential benefits include better understanding of storm dynamics and initiation, better detection of small-scale phenomena including tornados and microbursts, increased lead time for severe weather warnings, and improved numerical weather prediction. Losses of life and property due to severe weather will be reduced through warnings made further in advance. Researchers across the nation will have access to this digital data to study advanced signal processing techniques, new retrieval methods, and applications in improving weather forecasts. Assembly and test of the instrument will be accomplished in the new Radar Innovation Laboratory (RIL) at the University of Oklahoma (OU) prior to integration into the NWRT. The National Severe Storms Laboratory will take an active role in the design and integration of this instrument into the NWRT. A diverse group of students will be encouraged to share in the excitement of state-of-the-art hardware and scientific discovery. This will be accomplished by leveraging already successful programs at OU, such as a unique research and teaching-oriented program called SPARC (Signal Processing and Radar Computations). This initiative is devoted to minority and women students. The NWRT is a multi-member national partnership between the University of Oklahoma and NOAA/National Weather Service, FAA, Lockheed-Martin, Office of Naval Research, and BCI Inc. Through the NWRT, this community of engineers and scholars is dedicated towards advancing the science of a multi-mission radar system for the detection of severe weather and aircraft identification. They also share in the goal to decentralize the NWRT by making next-generation data available via the web and digital libraries.