The Interaction and Variation of Waves and Turbulence from MST Radar Data.

Abstract

This report summarizes research results obtained using data from clear-air Doppler radars in Alaska, Colorado, and France. Among other variables, these radars measure the vertical velocity over the height range from about three to twenty kilometers. A brief climatology of the variability of vertical velocity was prepared, including a study of its relationship to synoptic weather events. Comparisons of the time-averaged vertical velocity to estimates of the vertical velocity computed from the equations of motion and routine meteorological data showed that these radars provide a measure of the sub-synoptic scale vertical velocity of the atmosphere, at least under certain conditions. Details of the echoing mechanism for vertically directed antenna systems were studied to help interpret the measurements. Another variable provided by MST radars is the backscattered echo power, which is directly related to the refractivity turbulence structure constant (C-sub-n-squared) when the antenna beam is not directed vertically. Keywords include: MST Radar, Clear-air Radar, Synoptic-scale, Vertical Velocity, Refractivity Turbulence, Wave Effects, Diurnal, Annual, and Climatology.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 27, 1985
Accession Number
ADA162983

Entities

People

  • G. D. Nastrom

Organizations

  • Control Data Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplitude
  • Boundary Layer
  • Case Studies
  • Climatology
  • Colorado
  • Doppler Radar
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Frequency
  • Gravity Waves
  • Jet Streams
  • Measurement
  • Meteorological Data
  • Meteorology
  • Power Spectra
  • Spectra
  • Turbulence
  • Wind

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Radar Systems Engineering.