Development of Radar Profiler Enhancements to the Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS)

该项目将通过以下方式增强亨茨维尔亚拉巴马大学（UAH）的移动的综合剖面系统（MIPS）：（a）升级915 MHz风剖面仪，配备全数字接收机和改进的信号处理系统;（B）增加X波段剖面雷达（XPR），提供高分辨率（时间为1秒，高度为45米）降水、边界层结构、云和生物飞行物的廓线。这些改进将产生一个移动的剖面系统，除了在降水剖面方面具有出色的能力外，还能增强晴空（边界层）剖面的能力。升级后的915 MHz剖面仪和新的XPR将与其他MIPS仪器一起沿着用于进行基础和应用研究： a）表征大气边界层结构、与各种会聚边界区相关的不连续性以及与布拉格散射相关的折射率变化。 B）提供从登陆热带气旋到冷季降水带的各种中尺度降水系统内降水和垂直运动的高分辨率剖面图;并作为校准工具，用于扫描双极化雷达，以改善质量效率。 c）层状降水系统雨区和冰区内的颗粒大小分布。 d）研究昆虫的特性，主要是飞行特性及其时空变化。智力优势：利用这一设备的研究项目将提高对以下方面的认识：（a）边界层过程，包括收敛边界区、重力波现象和对流的开始;（B）降水系统的运动学和微物理特性;（c）各种中尺度现象。关于生物飞行器的合作研究将包括基础和应用两个组成部分。这项研究将提高对CI及其与对流边界层（CBL）增长、辐合和CBL上方水汽增强的关系的理解。首席研究员及其团队在维护和部署各种项目的剖面设备方面获得了相当丰富的经验（14年）。更广泛的影响：预计一些大气科学家和学生将从新的MIPS仪器中获得相当大的好处。MIPS将作为一个先进的移动的大气剖面分析平台提供给大气科学界。该项目将促进基础设施的改进，以剖析仪器在UAH，这是几个研究生课程的一个组成部分。PI在两个类别中使用从仪器获得的真实的实时和存档数据：地基遥感和边界层气象学。实时MIPS数据被亨茨维尔国家气象局用于越来越多的预报应用，包括危险天气和定量降水估计。

This project will enhance the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS) by (a) upgrading the 915 MHz wind profiler with a fully digital receiver and improved signal processing system, and (b) adding an X-band Profiling Radar (XPR) to provide high-resolution (1 s in time, 45 m in height) profiles of precipitation, boundary layer structures, clouds, and biological flyers. These improvements will produce a mobile profiling system with enhancements in clear air (boundary layer) profiling, in addition to excellent capabilities in precipitation profiling. The upgraded 915 MHz profiler, and new XPR, will be used along with other MIPS instruments to conduct both basic and applied research: a) Characterize atmospheric boundary layer structures, discontinuities associated with various convergent boundary zones, and refractive index variations associated with Bragg scatter. b) Provide very high resolution profiles of precipitation and vertical motion within a variety of mesoscale precipitation systems ranging from landfalling tropical cyclones to cold season precipitation bands; and serve as a calibration tool to scanning dual-polarization radars for improved QPE. c) Retrieve particle size distributions within the rain and ice regions of stratiform precipitation systems. d) Examine insect properties, primarily flight characteristics and their spatial and temporal variation. Intellectual Merit: Research projects utilizing this equipment will improve understanding of (a) boundary layer processes, including convergent boundary zones, gravity wave phenomena, and convective initiation (CI); (b) kinematic and microphysical properties of precipitating systems, (c) and various mesoscale phenomena. Collaborative research on biological fliers will include both basic and applied components. This research will improve understanding of CI and its relation to convective boundary layer (CBL) growth, convergence, and water vapor enhancements above the CBL. The Principal Investigator and his team have acquired considerable experience (14 years) in maintaining and deploying profiling equipment for a variety of projects. Broader Impacts: It is anticipated that a number of atmospheric scientists and students will reap considerable benefits from the new MIPS instrumentation. The MIPS will be available to the atmospheric science community as an advanced mobile atmospheric profiling platform. This project will facilitate infrastructure improvements to profiling instruments at UAH, which are an integral part of several graduate courses. Real time and archived data derived from the instruments are utilized by the PI in two classes, Ground-Based Remote Sensing and Boundary Layer Meteorology. Real-time MIPS data are utilized by the Huntsville National Weather Service for in increasing variety of forecasting applications, including hazardous weather and quantitative precipitation estimation.