S-Band Fmcw Boundary Layer Profiler: System Upgrades And Results

Recent upgrades to the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) S-Band boundary layer profiling radar are discussed. These include incorporation of a software radio digital receiver and associated improvements in data acquisition and signal processing. These improvements have significantly increased the unambiguous velocity capability of the radar, allowing for Doppler spectral measurement of precipitation in addition to boundary layer clear-air echoes. The system was deployed during the NOAA-sponsored VORTEX-SE experiment during Spring 2016 and will be redeployed for Spring 2017. Sample observations are shown. Finally, future system improvements are discussed.