User Tools

Site Tools


instruments:mrr:mrr2_ufs

This is an old revision of the document!


Micro Rain Radar (MRR) at UFS

Mentor: M. Maahn

INSTRUMENT IS REMOVED SINCE 09/2015

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 provided by Chris Kidd, U. Birmingham.

Instrument

History

Period Place
09/2012 - 09/2015 UFS Schneefernerhaus

Data

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/mrr2_ufs.1444752505.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/04/07 19:53 (external edit)