Use of Clutter Residue Editing Maps During the Denver 1988 Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) Tests
Abstract
The Lincoln Laboratory Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) testbed operated in Denver, CO in 1987-88. This radar is a prototype of the wind shear detection radars scheduled to be installed by the FAA to provide warnings of possibly hazardous wind shear conditions in airport terminal areas. To obtain the required coverage at low altitudes (down to 100-200 meters above ground level), the antenna beam is required to scan at or very near the earth's surface. Strong ground clutter returns at these low elevation angles present a major problem in the detection of low reflectivity wind shear signals and pose a significant challenge to the mission of these radars. To address this problem, steps along several fronts are taken to mitigate the effects of clutter contamination. These include the use of narrow pencil-beam antennas to minimize ground illumination, suppression by high-pass clutter filters, and the use of clutter residue map editing. This report deals with the latter step, and focuses on the clutter environment experienced at the testbed site during April-October 1988 and its effects on clutter residue map usage. Keywords: Clutter; Doppler radar; Hazardous atmospheric conditions; Pencil beam radar; Weather radar.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 25, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA218696
Entities
People
- D. P. Hynek
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology