A study on wind dynamics during convective processes using the Postset-beam-steering technique

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the potential of the Postset-beam-steering (PBS) technique on a VHF multi receiver profiler radar for studying convective processes over the Middle and Upper (MU) atmospheric radar located at Shigaraki (34.85°N, 136.10°E), Japan. During times of convection, it is difficult to study the atmospheric processes by normal radar observational methods due to instantaneous changes in the wind fields over the position and time. Meanwhile, it is important to know the simultaneous changes in vertical and horizontal wind fields for studying the evolution of atmospheric processes and the dynamics associated with it. PBS, as a means of software beam steering, overcomes such difficulties in estimating atmospheric wind parameters because of a number of inherent signal processing algorithms associated with the technique itself. The main objective of the present work includes major investigations of fast changing 3-D wind fields and the processes associated with it. Further, the advantages of the PBS for studying the spatial variability in winds, circulation patterns, mixing process, momentum flux and vorticity during the atmospheric convection are presented through a set of examples.