CASA dual-doppler system

Conventional radar networks are limited at warning against low-altitude wind hazards such as tornadoes and micro-bursts due to the combined effects of their long range, far spacing, and Earth´s curvature. The Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) Engineering Research Center aims to solve these limitations through dual-Doppler systems operating in densely-spaced short range radar networks. The CASA test bed radar network incorporate the Distributed Collaborative Adaptive Sensing (DCAS) model in order to optimize scanning and retrieval for fast Doppler wind field products. Under the DCAS environment, fast coordinated sector scans are made by each radar based on weather detection and competitive end-user needs. The retrieval subsystem then makes the best pair selection for dual-Doppler synthesis based on optimal beam-crossing angles for target areas. Together, they create a fast, accurate, and robust dual-Doppler system suitable for weather emergency warnings.