Leveraging weather radars for desert locust monitoring

Abstract

Desert locusts are infamous for their ability to cause widespread devastation to crops and agricultural lands. They have been known to cause significant economic losses in many parts of the world due to their capacity to swarm and consume large quantities of vegetation. The article briefly describes the use of remote sensing for monitoring locust populations as it enables researchers to predict and prepare for potential outbreaks, as well as deploy control measures promptly and effectively. Weather surveillance radars are another powerful tool for monitoring locust populations. These radars are capable of detecting locust swarms in real-time, providing high-resolution data at exceptional spatial-temporal scales. This is particularly advantageous for detecting locust migrations, which can span hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, and can be difficult to track through other means. With the help of weather surveillance radars, it becomes possible to gain a better understanding of the behavior of locust swarms and to take appropriate measures to mitigate their impact on crops and agricultural lands. The article also delves into the basics of radars and highlights the radar network across the recession and invasion areas of desert locusts. It concludes that the installation of radars would be immensely helpful in tracking biological scatterers, including locust swarms, in near real-time. The continuous and high-resolution data provided by these radars could revolutionize our ability to monitor and control locust populations, leading to better food security and economic stability in affected regions. Overall, the article aims to spark the interest of individuals with a biological/meteorological background in the advancement of entomological polarimetric radar applications. By providing fundamental interpretations of new data products, the article helps to bridge the gap between scientific and biological research, enabling experts from different fields to collaborate and tackle the challenges posed by locust swarms and other biological scatterers.