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