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RWP

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rwp: Radar Wind Profiler

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.

Measurements

Atmospheric turbulence Radar Doppler Virtual temperature
Backscattered radiation Radar reflectivity
Horizontal wind Vertical velocity

Locations

  • Fixed
  • AMF1
  • AMF2
  • AMF3

Related Publications

2018

PZ, M Alvarado, C Chiu, S DeSzoeke, C Fairall, G Feingold, A Freedman, S Ghan, J Haywood, P Kollias, E Lewis, G McFarquhar, A McComiskey, D Mechem, T Onasch, J Redemann, D Romps, D Turner, H Wang, R Wood, S Yuter, and P Zhu. 2018. Layered Atlantic Smoke Interactions with Clouds (LASIC) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-18-018.

Schiro K, F Ahmed, S Giangrande, and J Neelin. 2018. "GoAmazon2014/5 campaign points to deep-inflow approach to deep convection across scales." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, , 10.1073/pnas.1719842115. ONLINE.

Schiro K and J Neelin. 2018. "Tropical continental downdraft characteristics: mesoscale systems versus unorganized convection." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 18(3), 10.5194/acp-18-1997-2018.

2017

Fan J, B Han, A Varble, H Morrison, K North, P Kollias, B Chen, X Dong, S Giangrande, A Khain, Y Lin, E Mansell, J Milbrandt, R Stenz, G Thompson, and Y Wang. 2017. "Cloud-resolving model intercomparison of an MC3E squall line case: Part I-Convective updrafts." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122(17), 10.1002/2017JD026622.

Neiman P, N Gaggini, C Fairall, J Aikins, J Spackman, L Leung, J Fan, J Hardin, N Nalli, and A White. 2017. "An Analysis of Coordinated Observations from NOAA's Ronald Brown Ship and G-IV Aircraft in a Landfalling Atmospheric River over the North Pacific during CalWater-2015." Monthly Weather Review, 145(9), 10.1175/MWR-D-17-0055.1.

McGibbon J and CS Bretherton. 2017. "Skill of ship-following large-eddy simulations in reproducing MAGIC observations across the northeast Pacific stratocumulus to cumulus transition region." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 9(2), 10.1002/2017MS000924.

Helmus J. 2017. Improved Estimates of Moments and Winds from Radar Wind Profiler. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-TR-188.

2016

Rai R, L Berg, B Kosović, J Mirocha, M Pekour, and W Shaw. 2016. "Comparison of Measured and Numerically Simulated Turbulence Statistics in a Convective Boundary Layer Over Complex Terrain." Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 163(1), 10.1007/s10546-016-0217-y.

Giangrande SE, T Toto, MP Jensen, M Bartholomew, Z Feng, A Protat, C Williams, C Schumacher, and L Machado. 2016. "Convective cloud vertical velocity and mass-flux characteristics from radar wind profiler observations during GoAmazon2014/5." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 121(21), 10.1002/2016jd025303. ONLINE.

Yang B, Y Qian, L Berg, P Ma, S Wharton, V Bulaevskaya, H Yan, Z Hou, and W Shaw. 2016. "Sensitivity of turbine-height wind speeds to parameters in planetary boundary-layer and surface-layer schemes in the Weather Research and Forecasting Model." Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 162(1), 10.1007/s10546-016-0185-2.

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