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94 GHz FMCW Doppler Cloud Radar
(RPG-FMCW-94-SP, RPG-FMCW-94-DP)
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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
Parameter | Specification |
---|---|
Centre Frequency | 94 GHz (λ=3.19 mm) ± 100 MHz typical |
IF range | 0.35 to 4.5 MHz |
Transmitter power | 1.5 W typical (solid state amplifier) Lower transmitter powers are available for reduced prices |
Antenna type | Bi-static Cassegrain with 500 mm aperture |
Antenna gain | 51.5 dB |
Beam width | 0.48° FWHM |
Polarisation | V (optional V & H) |
Rx System Noise Figure | 4 dB (400 K system noise temperature) |
Typical Dynamic range (Sensitivity) with 1.5 W transmitter @ 3 s sampling time | -60 dBz to +20 dBz (at 500 m height / 5 m resolution) -47 dBz to +20 dBz (at 4 km height / 30 m resolution) |
Ranging | 50 m to 12 km typical, 16 km maximum |
Maximum vertical resolution | 1 m |
Calibrations (automatic) | Transmitter power monitoring and receiver Dicke switching for gain drift compensation (radar and passive channel) |
Calibrations (maintenance) | Liquid nitrogen receiver calibration |
Calibration verification | External reference sphere |
A/D Sampling rate | 12 MHz (data processing between 0.35 and 4.5 MHz) |
Data processing system | High-Performance embedded PC |
Sampling rate (full profiles) | Adjustable: ≥1 second |
Doppler range | ± 9 m/s unambiguous velocity range (0-2500 m), ± 4.2 m/s above |
Doppler resolution | ± 1.5 cm/s or higher |
Chirp variations | 3 typical, 5 possible, re-programmable |
Passive channels | 89 GHz for integral LWP detection |
Control connection | TCP/IP connectivity via fibre optics data cable to internal PC |
Operation software | Real time visualization, real time data extraction, real time control (adaptive observation modes depending on context), data archiving, radar can be operated in stand-alone mode |
Data products (available as files) | See in Technical note |
Data formats | netCDF (CF convention), proprietary binary |
Additional sensors | Automatic weather station with P, T, RH, RR, Snow, WS, WD |
Migration system for rain/fog/dew | Strong dew blower (4000 m3/h), radomes with hydrophobic coating, optional heater (additional 2-4 kW) |
Scanning / mounting | Scanner unit for full sky scanning capability with maximum angular velocity of 6 °/s in azimuth and elevation |
Dimensions | See in Technical note |
Weight | See in Technical note |
RPG_FMCW_TN_2017.pdf
01-RPG Flyer FMCW 2016.pdf
RPG-FMCW-94-Brochure.pdf
RPG-FMCW-Instrument_Manual.pdf
AHEAD IN THE CLOUD....
a cost-effective new radar is making it easier than ever to understand the structure of clouds. Contribution of our colleague Dr. Alexander Myagkov, Radar Scientist
MTI-2017-09_Cover_and_RPG.pdf
doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-17-0019.1