RWP

rwp > Radar Wind ProfilerInstrument Type(s) > Baseline • External • Guest

The radar wind profiler/radio acoustic sounding system (RWP/RASS), available in 915-MHz (for U.S. deployments) and 1290-MHz (for foreign deployments), measures wind profiles and backscattered signal strength between (nominally) 0.1 km and 5 km and virtual temperature profiles between 0.1 km and 2.5 km. However, ARM no longer operates the RASS portion.

The RWP transmits electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere in as many as five directions (four tilted in opposing vertical planes and on vertical) and measures the strength and frequency of backscattered energy. Calculation of the Doppler shift of the returned signal allows calculation of the atmospheric wind profile.

Purpose

Data provides a simplified set to 915 Radar Wind Profiler moments which include a calibrated reflectivity.

Primary Measurements

Radar reflectivity

Vertical velocity

Virtual temperature

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Locations

Fixed
AMF1
AMF2
AMF3

Active Locations

Facility Name	Start Date
Billings, OK (SE radar wind profiler site, Intermediate / Auxiliary)	2011-04-28
Central Facility, Lamont, OK	1997-05-19
Gunnison, CO; AMF2 (main site for SAIL)	2021-09-01
Lamont, OK (NW radar wind profiler site, Intermediate / Auxiliary)	2011-04-25
La Jolla, CA; AMF1 (main site for EPCAPE on Scripps Pier)	2023-01-17
Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal	2014-09-10
Tonkawa, OK (NE radar wind profiler site, Intermediate / Auxiliary)	2011-05-02

Data Details

Developed By	Jonathan Helmus \| Virendra Ghate \| Frederic Tridon
Contact	Jonathan Helmus
Resource(s)	Data Directory ReadMe
Data format	netcdf, png
Content time range	27 October 1993 - 5 February 2023
Attribute accuracy	No formal attribute accuracy tests were conducted.
Positional accuracy	No formal positional accuracy tests were conducted.
Data Consistency and Completeness	Data set is considered complete for the information presented, as described in the abstract.Users are advised to read the rest of the metadata record carefully for addtional details.
Access Restriction	No access constraints are associated with this data.
Use Restriction	No use constraints are associated with this data.
File naming convention	Follows ARM standards ending with .nc for the data and .png for a related quicklooks.
Directory Organization	Flat directory structure.
Citations	Tridon et al. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 2013, 30, 1038.

Related Publications

2022

Pryor S, F Letson, T Shepherd, and R Barthelmie. 2022. "Evaluation of WRF simulation of deep convection in the US Southern Great Plains." Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 62(1), 10.1175/JAMC-D-22-0090.1.

Wang D, A Prein, S Giangrande, A Ramos‐Valle, M Ge, and M Jensen. 2022. "Convective Updraft and Downdraft Characteristics of Continental Mesoscale Convective Systems in the Model Gray Zone." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, , e2022JD036746, 10.1029/2022JD036746. ACCEPTED.

Chipilski H, X Wang, D Parsons, A Johnson, and S Degelia. 2022. "The value of assimilating different ground-based profiling networks on the forecasts of bore-generating nocturnal convection." Monthly Weather Review, , 10.1175/MWR-D-21-0193.1.

Skow A, M Poellot, D Delene, M Askelson, K North, and M Oue. 2022. "A Multi-Platform In Situ Kinematic and Microphysical Analysis of a Hybrid Parallel–Trailing Stratiform Mesoscale Convective System." Monthly Weather Review, 150(4), 10.1175/MWR-D-21-0009.1.

Williams C. 2022. "How Much Attenuation Extinguishes mm-Wave Vertically Pointing Radar Return Signals?" Remote Sensing, 14(6), 1305, 10.3390/rs14061305.

View All Related Publications