An UHF FMCW Wind profiler. Development and results

Abstract

Radars based on the Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) technique have proven to be an excellent tool for the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) stud- ies. This layer of the atmosphere is of vital importance for the understanding of weather and climate. FMCW radars provide high sensitivity and high range resolu- tion needed for observation of small scale turbulence. This thesis describes the FMCW Wind Pro ler operating at UHF band as of Spring 2010. At a later stage it will utilize the spaced antenna (SA) technique for achieving three-dimensional wind elds. This work describes its principles of oper- ation, the current status of the radar hardware, and comments the new programs developed for its proper operation. It discusses the sensitivity of the Wind Pro ler derived from laboratory tests and the results of the eld deployments. The current design uses four antennas, one for transmission and three for reception. The major drawback of the Wind Pro ler is the isolation required between the transmitter and the receiver. A new scheme is proposed to overcome this problem by using Inter- rupted FMCW. Recommendations for the future hardware development of the radar and conclusions are provided.