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instruments:mrr:mrr

Micro Rain Radar (MRR)

Principle

The Micro Rain Radar (MRR) is a vertically pointing FM-CW (frequency modulated continuous wave) Doppler radar operating at K-band (24.1 GHz, 12.4 mm wavelength). The emitted radar signal (only 50mW transmitting power) is backscattered by falling hydrometeors (rain, graupel, snow). From the Doppler spectra the radar reflectivity factor (Ze) and the terminal fall velocity distribution can be derived. The range resolution can be varied from 10 to 200m which determines together with the 30 range gates the system's maximum height range of 300-6000 m. In case of rain the Doppler spectra can be used to derive vertical profiles of microphysical rain properties like drop size distribution and rain rate. Recently, the MRR system was also studied for its potential to observe snowfall link Kneifel et al. 2011. Also an improved MRR algorithm most suitable for snowfall observations has been developed at IGMK link and is also freely available here: IMProToo - Improved Mrr Processing Tool.

Instrument

MRR_selhausenmrr_jue.jpg

METEK MRR (24.1GHz radar); left: at the TR32 test site Selhausen; right: at the Research Centre Jülich TR32

History

Period Place Project
03/2012 - today Research Centre Jülich TR32
04/2008 - 10/2011 Selhausen, Germany TR32
05 - 12/2007 Heselbach, Blackforest, Germany COPS
2006 - 2007 Nangatchori, Benin AMMA

Data

quicklook archive

Data avaiability in terms of files per day for the time in Selhausen

year jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep oct nov dec per year
2008 26/27
= 97%
30/31
= 99%
30/30
=100%
26/31
= 85%
31/31
=100%
30/30
=100%
30/31
= 99%
30/30
=100%
31/31
=100%
266/272
= 98.1%
2009 31/31
=100%
28/28
=100%
28/31
= 90%
30/30
=100%
31/31
=100%
30/30
=100%
28/31
= 90%
6/31
= 20%
29/30
= 96%
28/31
= 90%
30/30
=100%
31/31
=100%
330/365
= 90.6%
2010 31/31
=100%
28/28
=100%
30/31
= 99%
29/30
= 98%
31/31
=100%
29/30
= 99%
28/31
= 91%
31/31
=100%
27/30
= 92%
6/31
= 20%
8/30
= 29%
30/31
= 99%
313/365
= 85.9%
2011 31/31
=100%
24/28
= 87%
26/31
= 86%
26/30
= 86%
7/31
= 23%
115/365
= 31.7%

Specifications

Parameter Specification
Frequency 24.1 GHz
Wavel 12.4 mm
Radar Type FM-CW
Transmit Power 50 mW
Receiver Single Polarization
Power consumption (radar) 25 W
Total power cons. incl heating 525 W
Max. range 6 km
Range Resolution 10-200 m
No. of range gates 30
Temporal resolution 10 s
Antenna diameter 0.5 m
Beam width (2-way, 6 dB) 1.5°
instruments/mrr/mrr.txt · Last modified: 2021/06/12 16:12 by walbroel