Dual polarized staggered PRT scheme for weather radars: analysis and applications

Weather radars require long unambiguous ranges, high Nyquist sampling rates and good clutter suppression. In addition, polarization diversity is also used extensively, switching polarization of the transmit pulse on a pulse by pulse basis. This paper presents a dual polarized staggered pulse repetition scheme that can be used for Doppler and polarization diversity measurements in a weather radar. Processing algorithms for radar returns under this scheme are also presented. This pulsing scheme was implemented on the CP-2 radar operated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Experimental observations of convective storms using dual polarized staggered pulse repetition scheme in the Colorado front range were made and the results of the data analysis are presented.