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04 Radar Characteristics

Radar uses radio waves to detect distant objects. It measures distance, angle, and properties of objects by emitting radio pulses and detecting echoes. Radar employs microwaves which can penetrate fog, haze, and light precipitation. The distance to an object is determined by timing how long it takes an echo to return. Angles are determined by the antenna pointing direction. Object properties are inferred from echo intensities. Radar resolution depends on pulse length, while maximum detectable range depends on pulse repetition frequency.

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Abdullah Omer
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339 views22 pages

04 Radar Characteristics

Radar uses radio waves to detect distant objects. It measures distance, angle, and properties of objects by emitting radio pulses and detecting echoes. Radar employs microwaves which can penetrate fog, haze, and light precipitation. The distance to an object is determined by timing how long it takes an echo to return. Angles are determined by the antenna pointing direction. Object properties are inferred from echo intensities. Radar resolution depends on pulse length, while maximum detectable range depends on pulse repetition frequency.

Uploaded by

Abdullah Omer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Radar: Acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging

Radar is a remote sensing technique: Capable of gathering


information about objects located at remote distances from the
sensing device.
Two distinguishing characteristics:
1. Employs EM waves that fall into
the microwave portion of the
electromagnetic spectrum
(1 mm < < 75 cm)
2. Active technique: radiation is
emitted by radar radiation
scattered by objects is detected
by radar.

Why microwaves?
Microwaves can penetrate haze, fog and snow readily, and
rain and hail less readily, so radar can see through these
conditions.
An elementary radar system

What does a conventional radar measure?


1. Distance to an object or collection of objects
Determined by the time it takes energy to travel to
the objects and return at the speed of light.

ct
r
2

r = 1 km t = 6.67 s
r = 100 km t = 0.667 ms

2. Azimuth and elevation angle to the object(s)


Determined by the pointing angles of the antenna.
3. Physical properties of the object(s)
Determined by the magnitude of the backscattered
power.

Meteorological radars send out pulses of energy with relatively long periods
of listening between pulses. Pulses are required, rather than continuous
waves, to determine the distance to the target.

Pulse duration (s) and pulse length (h, meters)


Pulse repetition period (msec) and pulse repetition frequency (s-1)
Duty Cycle (= Tr)

Resolution along the direction of the beam:


half the pulse length (h)

The back of the pulse at a will arrive at b at the


same time that radiation scattered from objects at the
front end of the pulse at c will arrive back at b.
When energy arrives back at the radar, an
instantaneous sample will include all radiation
scattered between locations b and c: the sample
volume is half the pulse length (h/2).

Second Trip Echo: an echo from a pulse that is not the most recent pulse

Definitions
Pulse repetition frequency (PRF): The frequency that pulses are
transmitted, measured in hertz (s-1)
Pulse repetition period (Tr): The time between pulses (typical
value 1 ms)
Maximum Unambiguous Range (rmax): The maximum distance that
an object can be located such that a pulse arriving at the object can
return to the radar before another pulse is emitted.

rmax

cTr
c

2
2( PRF )

Maximum unambiguous range vs. pulse repetition frequency

Note weird velocities


(characteristic of
distant storm)
Second trip echoes

Why not use a low PRF, insuring a large rmax?


1. Measurements are not made with a single pulse, but rather
with the average of many pulses since the antenna is rotating,
dwell time (observing the same location) is an issue.
2. Measurement of Doppler velocities require a high PRF
How can you eliminate second trip echoes automatically?
1) Change the PRF
2) Use a different PRF every 2-3 pulses, if echo moves, get rid of
it! This is the methodology employed by the 88-Ds

Other quantities used to describe the transmitted signal:


Wavelength (cm, mm) and Frequency (ft, Ghz, Mhz)
Band
designation

Frequency
range

Wavelength
range

Common
Frequency

Common
Wavelength

(Ghz)

(cm)

(Ghz)

(cm)

UHF

0.3-1.0

30-100

0.42

71

1.0-2.0

15-30

1.3

23

2.0-4.0

7.5-15

2.8

10.7

4.0-8.0

3.75-7.5

5.5

5.5

8.0-12.0

2.5-3.75

9.4

3.2

Ku

12.0-18.0

1.67-2.5

15.5

1.94

18.0-27.0

1.11-1.67

24

1.25

Ka

27.0-40.0

0.75-1.11

35

0.86

Millimeter

40-300

0.1-0.75

94 (W band)

0.3

Major wavelength choice issues:


1. Size of equipment
2. Attenuation
3. Size of scatterers relative to
wavelength (Rayleigh vs Mie
scattering)
4. Peak power (without arcing in
waveguide e.g., 3 MW in
unpressurized waveguide for
S band, 0.4 MW for K band)
S (10 cm) band radar antenna
K (0.8 cm) band radar antenna

Modulator
Stores power
Between pulses
Magnetron
Generates
Microwaves
when high
voltage pulse
sent from
Modulator
Frequency
Determined
by characteristics
of magnetron

Duplexer
Fast acting
Switch that
protects
sensitive
receiver from
high energy
pulse from
magnetron

STALO
Oscillator
Generates
a steady
frequency
COHO
Oscillates
at lower
frequency
with same
phase as
transmitted
pulse

Quantities used to describe weather echoes


Wavelength ( cm, mm) and Frequency (ft fD) Ghz, Mhz)
fD is the Doppler shift, the change in frequency that occurs
because scatterers are moving toward or away from the
radar.
Doppler shift is typically no more than a few kilohertz, while
The transmitted frequency is typically gigahertz!
3,000,000,000

3,000,001,000

Quantities used to describe weather echoes


Received Power: typical value: nanowatts
Compare the received power with the transmitted power:
Peak transmitted power: 106 watts
Received power:
10-9 watts
Receiver must be very sensitive, and must be protected from
main pulse of energy transmitted by the radar!

Modulator
Stores power
Between pulses
Klystron
Amplifier
that creates
microwaves at
frequency
determined
by STALO
and COHO

Duplexer
Protects
Sensitive
Receiver from
High energy
Pulse from
magnetron
STALO
Oscillator
Generates
a steady
frequency
COHO
Oscillates
at lower
frequency
with same
phase as
transmitted
pulse

A0 A1

cos(d t )
2
A0 A1

sin(d t )
2

Amplitude determination:
Phase determination:

A0 A1
I 2 Q2
2
Q

d tan 1

Dynamic range of a receiver


Ratio (db) of input power that causes the video output to
reach its maximum (saturation) level, to the lowest power
that produces a detectable input.
Pmax

D.R. 10 log
Pmin

Dynamic range of precipitation echoes


Ratio (db) of maximum echo power received from a very
intense storm close to the radar to the minimum power
received from the weakest cloud that can be detected at the
greatest range of interest.
D.R. 10 log

PBig close storm

PLittle cloud at far range

WOULD LIKE THESE TO BE THE SAME!


Dynamic range of a receiver
Pmax

D.R. 10 log
Pmin

Dynamic range of precipitation echoes

D.R. 10 log

PBig close storm

PLittle cloud at far range

But PBig close storm 10 5 watts and PLittle cloud at far range 10 13 watts

DR precip 10 80 db
8

Linear receivers:
Linear receivers: Output voltage is linear with input power

Receiver 1:
Strong echoes

Receiver 2:
Weak echoes

Single linear receivers


Typically have only half of
the dynamic range of
precipitation echoes, so two
receivers are often used in
tandem with automatic
switching depending on the
magnitude of the returned
signal

Other types of receivers:


Logarithmic and Square law receivers:
Output voltage is non-linear with input power
Have worse
resolution than
linear receivers
but cover full
dynamic range of
weather echoes

Additional components of radars

Power supplies: provide power


Servo amplifiers and/or drive motors: position antenna
Selsyns or potentiometers: measure angular coordinates of antenna
Waveguides, rotary joints, slip rings: transmit microwaves from
transmitter to antenna while antenna is rotating
Directional couplers: allow sampling of transmitted signal or to inject test
signals into receiver
Radomes: to protect antenna from weather and wind
Other electronic components

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