A mobile Boundary Layer Radar Wind Profiler for Remote Measurements of Vertical Wind Shear

This project will develop a mobile boundary layer radar wind profiler intended for rapid deployment in regions of severe storm activity. The goal of this research will be investigate the feasibility of developing a low cost, low maintenance, mobile instrument capable of profiling vertical and horizontal wind velocities in the lowest 3 km of the atmosphere. The system's mobility and quick setup time will allow operators to drive to a site and be operational in a few minutes. During Phase I, research will focus on vehicle selection, optimizing system parameters, and novel techniques for clutter reduction. Quadrant has recently developed software motion compensation techniques that can be used to automatically determine the position of the antenna beams. This technique eliminates the need for mechanical antenna leveling and alignment. A design for a mobile boundary layer wind profiler will be delivered at the conclusion of Phase I, and Quadrant Engineering will propose to build a mobile profiler system during Phase II.