94 GHz FMCW Doppler Cloud Radar

In 2016 Radiometer Physics GmbH has delivered the first RPG-FMCW-94 radar. This radar was developed for atmospheric research. It operates at 3.2 millimeter wavelength which allows for reaching high sensitivity with small sizes of the instrument. The radar provides range profiles of parameters that contain information about scatterers in the atmosphere such as cloud particles, raindrops, snowflakes and insects. The radar utilizes frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) signals and therefore has high range resolution down to 1 m. Doppler and polarimetric (optional) capabilities of the radar make a good basis for a classification of particles and a quantitative characterization of hydrometeors.

Areas of Applications

• Calibration of precipitation and cloud radars including satellite-based systems
• Estimation of propagation effects for satellite links
• Precipitation and fog nowcast
• Hydrometeor classification
• Quantitative precipitation estimation
• Wind direction and speed retrieval
• Profiling of liquid water
• Microphysical analysis of clouds and precipitation

• Low cost
• Accurate absolute calibration
• Embedded 89 GHz passive channel
• Powerful rain mitigation system
• Low noise temperature (400 K)
• Company based production chain
• Small form factor
• High electromagnetic compatibility
• Thermal insulation (25 mK)
• No high voltages
• High range resolution (down to 1 m)
• High sensitivity
• Small blind zone
• Stable signal shape
• Embedded weather station
• High Doppler resolution (1.7 cm/s)

Zenith pointed single or dual polarized configuration

Mobile version

Design of scanning configuration

Design of scanning dual-frequency configuration (availible from 2021)

Ny-Ålesund, Spitzbergen, Norway

University of Cologne, Germany

RPG-FMCW-94-SP

• Deployed since June 2016
• Observations of clouds in the Arctic

Photo provided by Nils Küchler, University of Cologne

Verbier, Switzerland

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland

RPG-FMCW-94-SP

• Delivered in the end of 2016
• Deployed at a ski resort for ice particles investigation (2370 m above sea level)

Photo copyright: Hillary Sanctuary / EPFL