Field tests of a lower tropospheric wind profiler

A small, portable 915-MHz wind-profiling Doppler radar has been developed at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Aeronomy Laboratory. This radar provides high-resolution wind profiles from near the surface upward to 2–3 km in clear air. Results of field trials in Colorado and Illinois are presented. These field trials include comparisons with 405-MHz and 50-MHz wind-profiling Doppler radars. Wind measurements made by the different wind profilers are in very good agreement. Since the radar is very sensitive to heavy clouds and rain, it can be used to monitor the height of the melting layer and the vertical extent of hydrometeors. The small radar also provides temperature profiles up to 1 km when operated with an acoustic source in the radio acoustic sounding system (RASS) mode.