An investigation of biases in the full correlation analysis technique

Abstract

A study of the biases inherent in the application of the full correlation analysis (FCA) is presented using a simple computer model of atmospheric radar backscatter. The “radar backscatter model” allows the simulation of the effects of anisotropic scatteres, transmitter and receiver polar diagrams, turbulent motions, monochromatic gravity waves, and scatterer lifetimes. The model is used to investigate the velocity biases introduced by a number of instrumental effects. The FCA is applied to data recorded using the recently upgraded Buckland Park MF radar, revealing that the radar is now capable of obtaining usable returns down to 54 km.