CHARACTERISTICS OF TRACKABLE RADAR ANGELS

Abstract

Clear air radar angels were tracked with an FPS-16 radar at Wallops Island, Virginia. Observations were made at different times of the year under a variety of weather conditions. On cloudy days, echoes having characteristics similar to clear air angels were tracked. The radar had a beam width of 1.2 degrees, a wavelength of 5.5 centimeters, and was operated at a pulse length of .25 microsecond with a peak power of 1.2 megawatts. Data consist of flight trajectories of the echoes and a record of power returned. Radiosonde profiles of the atmosphere were obtained from an on-site weather station. It may be that this kind of data can not only clarify the angel problem but also provide convenient means for studying local atmospheric motions, such as the sea breeze. Evidence is given that indicates the meteorological nature of angels. A tentative model is suggested would account for most of the observed characteristics.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 16, 1963
Accession Number
AD0408361

Entities

People

  • T. H. Roelofs

Organizations

  • Cornell University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Air Force
  • Altitude
  • Atmospheres
  • Atmospheric Motion
  • Automatic Tracking
  • Contracts
  • Elevation
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Meteorological Phenomena
  • Radar Cross Sections
  • Refractive Index
  • United States
  • Virginia
  • Wind
  • Wind Velocity

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Radar Systems Engineering.