New Radar Wind Profiler Joins AMF Instrument Suite in Germany

 
Published: 30 June 2007

The 1290 MHz wind profiler (foreground) joins the eddy correlation system (background) for the 9-month deployment in Germany.

A new 1290 MHz radar wind profiler has joined the ARM Mobile Facility instrument suite for the Convective and Orographic Precipitation Study (COPS) in Germany. This system operates similarly to a Doppler radar and provides measurements of backscattered (reflected) energy, horizontal wind speed, and vertical wind speed. In replacing the 915 MHz radar used in previous AMF deployments, the 1290 MHz’s increased sensitivity to moisture allows the radar to operate better under moist conditions such as those often encountered in Europe. This capability is important for the science objectives of COPS, which include gaining a comprehensive dataset of precipitation to improve regional forecast models.

An operating frequency of 1290 MHz was selected to match European Union and other global frequency allocations for boundary layer (up to 1 km above the surface) radar profilers. The operating system for the new radar is the same as the upgraded systems at the ARM Southern Great Plains site, so installation of the radar was straightforward for the AMF operations team. Since its installation, data returns indicate the system is operating successfully with no failures.