Ka-band Doppler Research Articles

A New Ka-Band Doppler Radar in Robust and Precise Cardiopulmonary Remote Sensing

In this paper, a new Ka-band Doppler radar with an ability to remotely monitor respiration rate, heartbeat rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) is presented. Exploiting the advantage of high sensitivity of Ka-band radar in sensing of chest-wall movement, we make more accurate reconstruction of cardiopulmonary activities from low-quality received signal. The advantage of using Ka-band radar is obtained by paying a penalty, which is harmonic interferences that make measuring of cardiopulmonary details infeasible in lots of real scenarios. In this paper, by using a more complete model of return signal, a new routine is introduced for the robust detection of breathing and HR that extremely alleviates the problems associated with harmonic interferences. Besides, a more suitable model is proposed, which can cover time-variability cardiorespiratory features. Taking advantage of this model and based on the unconditional orthonormal representation of band-limited signals, a filter with time-varying coefficients is proposed to extract HRV. This extraction is done without resorting to tracking HR trace that makes it more precise and robust than the conventional approach. The indicated filter enables us to suggest a novel approach to remove random body motion effects. By experimental data, the applicability of the new radar for a wide range of real world scenarios is investigated, and its advantages beside conventional approaches are proved practically in different aspects.

Preliminary Results of Weather Radar Observations of Sakurajima Volcanic Smoke

Preliminary results of quantitative analysis of volcanic ash clouds observed over the Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima, Japan, were obtained by using weather radar and surface instruments. The Ka-band Doppler radar observations showed the inner structure of a volcanic ash column every two minutes after an eruption. Operational X-band polarimetric radar provides information on three-dimensional ash fall amount distribution. The terminal fall velocity of ash particles was studied by using optical disdrometers, together with the main specifications of observation instruments.

Linear Depolarization Ratios of Columnar Ice Crystals in a Deep Precipitating System over the Arctic Observed by Zenith-Pointing Ka-Band Doppler Radar

AbstractThis study demonstrates that linear depolarization ratio (LDR) values obtained from zenith-pointing Ka-band radar Doppler velocity spectra are sufficient for detecting columnar ice crystals. During a deep precipitating system over the Arctic on 7 December 2013, the radar recorded LDR values up to −15 dB at temperatures corresponding to the columnar ice crystal growth regime. These LDR values were also consistent with scattering calculations for columnar ice crystals. Enhancements in LDR were suppressed within precipitation fallstreaks because the enhanced LDR values of columnar ice crystals were masked by the returns from the particles within the fallstreaks. However, Doppler velocity spectra of LDR within the fallstreak distinguished populations of slower-falling particles with high LDR (>−15 dB) and faster-falling particles with much lower LDR, suggesting that columnar ice crystals with high LDR coexisted with larger isometric particles that produced low LDR while dominating the total copolar reflectivity, thereby decreasing LDR. The measurements suggest that the columnar ice crystals originated in liquid-cloud layers through secondary ice production.

Volcanic Ash Cloud Observation using Ground-based Ka-band Radar and Near-Infrared Lidar Ceilometer during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Active remote sensing techniques can probe volcanic ash plumes, but their sensitivity at a given distance depends upon the sensor transmitted power, wavelength and polarization capability. Building on a previous numerical study at centimeter wavelength, this work aims at i) simulating the distal ash particles polarimetric response of millimeter-wave radar and multi-wavelength optical lidar; ii) developing and applying a model-based statistical retrieval scheme using a multi-sensor approach. The microphysical electromagnetic forward model of volcanic ash particle distribution, previously set up at microwaves, is extended to include non-spherical particle shapes, vesicular composition, silicate content and orientation phenomena for both millimeter and optical bands. Monte Carlo generation of radar and lidar signatures are driven by random variability of volcanic particle main parameters, using constraints from available data and experimental evidences. The considered case study is related to the ground-based observation of the Eyjafjallajökull (Iceland) volcanic ash plume on May 15, 2010, carried out by the Atmospheric Research Station at Mace Head (Ireland) with a 35-GHz Ka-band Doppler cloud radar and a 1064-nm ceilometer lidar. The detection and estimation of ash layer presence and composition is carried out using a Bayesian approach, which is trained by the Monte Carlo model-based dataset. Retrieval results are corroborated exploiting auxiliary data such as those from a ground-based microwave radiometer also positioned at Mace Head.</span></p></div></div></div>

UP-04 Kaバンドドップラーレーダによる火山砕屑物の検出について(緊急学術セッション(ポスター))

UP-04 Kaバンドドップラーレーダによる火山砕屑物の検出について(緊急学術セッション(ポスター))

도로 장애물 경보를 위한 Ka-대역 펄스 도플러 레이다 시스템 개발 및 성능시험

도로 장애물 경보를 위한 Ka-대역 펄스 도플러 레이다 시스템 개발 및 성능시험

A Compact Ka-Band Doppler Radar Sensor for Remote Human Vital Signal Detection

This paper presents a compact K-band Doppler radar sensor for human vital signal detection that uses a radar configuration with only single coupler. The proposed radar front-end configuration can reduce the chip size and the additional RF power loss. The radar front-end IC is composed of a Lange coupler, VCO, and single balanced mixer. The oscillation frequency of the VCO is from 27.3 to 27.8 GHz. The phase noise of the VCO is ?91.2 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz offset frequency, and the output power is ?4.8 dBm. The conversion gain of the mixer is about 11 dB. The chip size is 0.89×1.47 ㎟. The compact Ka-band Doppler radar system was developed in order to demonstrate remote human vital signal detection. The radar system consists of a Ka-band Doppler radar module with a 2×2 patch array antenna, baseband signal conditioning block, DAQ system, and signal processing program. The front-end module size is 2.5×2.5 ㎠. The proposed radar sensor can properly capture a human heartbeat and respiration rate at the distance of 50 cm.

Case Study of Misoscale Convective Echo Behavior Associated with Cumulonimbus Development Observed by Ka-band Doppler Radar in the Kanto Region, Japan

Case Study of Misoscale Convective Echo Behavior Associated with Cumulonimbus Development Observed by Ka-band Doppler Radar in the Kanto Region, Japan

Impact of volcanic ash plume aerosol on cloud microphysics

Abstract This study focuses on the dispersion of the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic ash plume over the west of Ireland, at the Mace Head Supersite, and its influence on cloud formation and microphysics during one significant event spanning May 16th and May 17th, 2010. Ground-based remote sensing of cloud microphysics was performed using a Ka-band Doppler cloud RADAR, a LIDAR-ceilometer and a multi-channel microwave-radiometer combined with the synergistic analysis scheme SYRSOC (Synergistic Remote Sensing Of Cloud). For this case study of volcanic aerosol interaction with clouds, cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), liquid water content (LWC), and droplet effective radius (reff) and the relative dispersion were retrieved. A unique cloud type formed over Mace Head characterized by layer-averaged maximum, mean and standard deviation values of the CDNC, reff and LWC: Nmax = 948 cm−3, N ¯ = 297 cm − 3 , σ N = 250 cm − 3 , reff max = 35.5 μm, r e f f ¯ = 4.8 μm , σ r e f f = 4.4 μm , L W C max = 0.23 g m − 3 , L W C ¯ = 0.055 g m − 3 , σ L W C = 0.054 g m − 3 , respectively. The high CDNC, for marine clean air, were associated with large accumulation mode diameter (395 nm) and a hygroscopic growth factor consistent with sulphuric acid aerosol, despite being almost exclusively internally mixed in submicron sizes. Additionally, the Condensation Nuclei (CN, d > 10 nm) to Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) ratio, CCN:CN ∼1 at the moderately low supersaturation of 0.25%. This case study illustrates the influence of volcanic aerosols on cloud formation and microphysics and shows that volcanic aerosol can be an efficient CCN.

Ground-based retrieval of continental and marine warm cloud microphysics

Abstract. A technique for retrieving warm cloud microphysics using synergistic ground based remote sensing instruments is presented. The SYRSOC (SYnergistic Remote Sensing Of Cloud) technique utilises a Ka-band Doppler cloud RADAR, a LIDAR (or ceilometer) and a multichannel microwave radiometer. SYRSOC retrieves the main microphysical parameters such as cloud droplet number concentration (CDNC), droplets effective radius (reff), cloud liquid water content (LWC), and the departure from adiabatic conditions within the cloud. Two retrievals are presented for continental and marine stratocumulus advected over the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station. Whilst the continental case exhibited high CDCN (N = 382 cm−3; 10th-to-90th percentile [9.4–842.4] cm−3) and small mean effective radius (reff = 4.3; 10th-to-90th percentile [2.9–6.5] μm), the marine case showed low CDNC and large mean effective radius (N = 25 cm−3, 10th-to-90th percentile [1.5–69] cm−3; reff = 28.4 μm, 10th-to-90th percentile [11.2–42.7] μm) as expected since continental air at this location is typically more polluted than marine air. The mean LWC was comparable for the two cases (continental: 0.19 g m−3; marine: 0.16 g m−3) but the 10th–90th percentile range was wider in marine air (continental: 0.11–0.22 g m−3; marine: 0.01–0.38 g m−3). The calculated algorithm uncertainty for the continental and marine case for each variable was, respectively, σN = 161.58 cm−3 and 12.2 cm−3, σreff = 0.86 μm and 5.6 μm, σLWC = 0.03 g m−3 and 0.04 g m−3. The retrieved CDNC are compared to the cloud condensation nuclei concentrations and the best agreement is achieved for a supersaturation of 0.1% in the continental case and between 0.1%–0.75% for the marine stratocumulus. The retrieved reff at the top of the clouds are compared to the MODIS satellite reff: 7 μm (MODIS) vs. 6.2 μm (SYRSOC) and 16.3 μm (MODIS) vs. 17 μm (SYRSOC) for continental and marine cases, respectively. The combined analysis of the CDNC and the reff, for the marine case shows that the drizzle modifies the droplet size distribution and reff especially if compared to reffMOD. The study of the cloud subadiabaticity and the LWC shows the general sub-adiabatic character of both clouds with more pronounced departure from adiabatic conditions in the continental case than in the marine.

Experiment and Spectral Analysis of a Low-Power $Ka$-Band Heartbeat Detector Measuring From Four Sides of a Human Body

The accuracy of a Ka-band physiological movement detector was tested and compared for measurements from four different body orientations and at five different distances. A rigorous spectral analysis approach is developed when previously adopted small-angle approximation model is not applicable. This theory analyzes in detail the harmonics observed in phase-modulated Ka-band Doppler radar, explaining the reason for better heart-rate accuracy when detected from the back of the body. It also explains the advantage of double-sideband transmission in avoiding the null point problem. Simulations have been performed to illustrate this theory and provide design guidelines for the system. This theory has also been verified by experiments

(SC) RMI: A (S)emi-(C)lassical (R)elativistic (M)otion (I)ntegrator, to model the orbits of space probes around the Earth and other planets

Today, the motion of spacecrafts is still described according to the classical Newtonian equations plus the so-called relativistic corrections, computed with the required precision using the Post-(Post-) Newtonian formalism. The current approach, with the increase of tracking precision (Ka-Band Doppler, interplanetary lasers) and clock stabilities (atomic fountains) is reaching its limits in terms of complexity, and is furthermore error prone. In the appropriate framework of general relativity, we study a method to numerically integrate the native relativistic equations of motion for a weak gravitational field, also taking into account small non-gravitational forces. The latter are treated as perturbations, in the sense that we assume that both the local structure of space–time is not modified by these forces, and that the unperturbed satellite motion follows the geodesics of the local space–time. The use of a symplectic integrator to compute the unperturbed geodesic motion insures the constancy of the norm of the proper velocity quadrivector. We further show how this general relativistic framework relates to the classical one.

Observations of Quasi-Stationary and Shallow Orographic Snow Clouds: Spatial Distributions of Supercooled Liquid Water and Snow Particles

On 25 February 1999, due to a winter monsoon after a cyclonic storm, orographic snow clouds formed under conditions of weak cold advection on the western side of the central mountain range of Japan. In this study, the Ka-band Doppler radar and vehicle-mounted microwave radiometer and 2D-Grey imaging probe were used to obtain unique datasets for analyzing the spatial distributions of microphysical structures of the snow clouds at the windward slope. The liquid water path, number concentration of snow particles (0.1–6.4 mm diameter), and precipitation rate were found to be correlated with altitude. The greater concentration of larger particles tended to appear up the slope. The echo top was at about 2.5 km (−30 dBZ), and the relatively strong echo region (>−3 dBZ) appeared at 5 km up the slope and extended nearly parallel to the slope. According to the echo pattern, the ice water path increased with terrain height and reached the maximum intensity at about 14 km up the slope. These observations provide indirect evidence that terrain-induced updrafts lead to the generation and growth of supercooled cloud droplets and indicate that the riming process plays an important role in the growth of snow particles at higher altitudes. In this paper, it is confirmed that the abundance of supercooled liquid water (SLW) during intensified monsoon flow is due to larger water production rates caused by higher vertical velocities induced by topography. Furthermore, it can be shown that small-scale terrains enhance localized updrafts embedded within the larger-scale flow and have noticeable impact on SLW cloud distribution.

The Characteristics and Evolution of Orographic Snow Clouds under Weak Cold Advection

Abstract On 25 February 1999, on the western side of the central mountain range of Japan, orographic snow clouds had formed under conditions of weak cold advection due to a winter monsoon after a cyclonic storm. The data from Ka-band Doppler radar, microwave radiometer, hydrometeor videosondes, and 2D Grey imaging probe provided unique datasets that were used to analyze the evolution of meso- and microscale structures, especially ice and supercooled liquid water (SLW) evolutions associated with variations in surrounding conditions. In the present case, four stages were identified in the evolution of the clouds: stratiform (I), transition (II), shallow convective (III), and dissipating (IV). During stage I, substantial blocking of the low-level flow occurred. The echo top was relatively flat and the echo pattern was stratiform with a bright band. The clouds were considered to be almost glaciated, primarily by the deposition growth of ice crystals. The wind speed up the slope gradually increased in the latt...

Relationships between strong internal waves in the coastal zone and their radar and radiometric signatures

Strong internal waves (IW) in the form of soliton groups were observed off the Oregon coast with in situ and remote sensors, including shore‐based X band and Ka band Doppler radars and an airborne microwave radiometer operating at 37 GHz. Here we analyze the relationships between oceanic isotherm vertical displacements, internal currents, and radar backscatter cross sections, along with Doppler velocity signals at horizontal (HH) and vertical (VV) polarizations, and 37‐GHz brightness temperatures measured at intermediate incidence angles from an airship. Analysis of these observations shows that (1) the horizontal spatial structure of the IW field depends on whether it is forced by a strong (spring) tide or weak (neap) tide; (2) while both HH and VV are strongly modulated by IWs, the modulation depth of HH always exceeds that of VV, and they both increase with the IW amplitude; (3) 37‐GHz brightness temperature modulations were in phase with radar signal modulations; and (4) the phase of radar signal modulation with respect to the IW is such that the minimum radar signal intensity and lowest microwave brightness temperature lie close to the maximum of the IW thermocline depression or, equivalently, the horizontal current excursion near the surface. This last observation conflicts with the expectation that the highest backscattered signal would be found near the region of greatest surface strain rate (the surface current gradient). Existing theoretical models are briefly reviewed for interactions between the IW field and the intensity of short gravity‐capillary waves that might be responsible for this behavior.

Feasibility of Retrieving Cloud Condensation Nucleus Properties from Doppler Cloud Radar, Microwave Radiometer, and Lidar

Abstract This paper explores the possibilities of using Ka-band Doppler radar, microwave radiometer, and lidar as a means of retrieving cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) properties in the stratocumulus-capped marine boundary layer. The retrieval is based on the intimate relationship between the cloud drop number concentration, the vertical air motion at cloud base, and the CCN activation spectrum parameters. The CCN properties that are sought are the C and k parameters in the N = CSk relationship, although activation spectra based on the lognormal distribution of particles is also straightforward. Cloud droplet concentration at cloud base is retrieved from a Doppler cloud radar combined with a microwave radiometer following a previously published technique. Cloud base is determined from a lidar or ceilometer. Vertical velocity just above cloud base is determined from the vertically pointing Doppler cloud radar. By combining the simultaneous retrievals of drop number and vertical velocity, and assuming theo...

Wind‐wave tank measurements of bound and freely propagating short gravity‐capillary waves

Measurements of the surface elevation and slope and of the backscattered radar power at X and Ka band were carried out in a wind‐wave tank with mechanically generated gravity waves as well as with wind waves on slick‐free and slick‐covered water surfaces. The measured radar Doppler shifts show that on a slick‐free water surface, bound gravity‐capillary (X and Ka band Bragg) waves are generated at the crests of steep gravity waves with frequencies between 3 and 5 Hz. However, steep gravity waves with a frequency of 2Hz do not generate bound Ka band Bragg waves, and the Ka band backscattering from these waves is associated with wave breaking. In the wind speed range from 1.5 to 10m/s, bound gravity‐capillary waves contribute to the X and Ka band backscatter from slick‐free water surfaces. The fraction of bound to freely propagating Bragg waves depends on, among other things, radar frequency, wind speed, wave amplitude of the dominant water wave, and slick coverage. In particular, the strong damping of the gravity waves by the slick at wind speeds of approximately 8 m/s leads to the disappearance of the bound Bragg waves and therefore to a reduction of the X and Ka band Doppler shifts to values corresponding to freely propagating Bragg waves. It is concluded that the study is pertinent to the understanding of former results of radar backscattering measurements in the presence of oceanic surface films.

The Clear-Air Coastal Vespertine Radar Bands

Abstract It is known that the insects observed in the lower layers of the atmosphere produce radar echos and that their spatiotemporal distribution is strongly influenced by the meteorological conditions and the thermodynamic structure of the atmosphere. However, the available information on the subject essentially deals with the continental zones. Observations carried out from the Atlantic coast with a polarimetric Ka-band Doppler radar are used to show the existence of large band-shaped areas of insects above the coastal Atlantic Ocean, which has a reflectivity 3 × 10−2 times higher than the values usually observed inland. The insects collectively fly with a common heading. These bands form at dusk and are connected with the coastal atmospheric circulation, which carries along the local insect population.

Orbit determination and gravitational field accuracy for a mercury transponder satellite

Covariance studies were performed to investigate the orbit determination problem for a small transponder satellite in a nearly circular polar orbit with 4‐hour period around Mercury. With X band and Ka band Doppler and range measurements, the analysis indicates that the gravitational field through degree and order 10 can be solved for from as few as 40 separate 8‐hour arcs of tracking data. In addition, the Earth‐Mercury distance can be determined during each ranging period with about 6‐cm accuracy. The expected geoid accuracy is 10 cm up through degree 5, and 1 m through degree 8. The main error sources were the geocentric range measurement error, the uncertainties in higher degree gravity field terms, which were not solved for, and the solar radiation pressure uncertainty.

Investigations of a Winter Mountain Storm in Utah. Part II: Mesoscale Structure, Supercooled Liquid Water Development, and Precipitation Processes

Abstract A comprehensive analysis of a deep winter storm system during its passage over the Tushar Mountains of southwestern Utah is reported. The case study, drawn from the 1985 Utah/NOAA cooperative weather modification experiment, is divided into descriptions of the synoptic and kinematic properties in Part I, and storm structure and composition here in Part II. In future parts of this series, the turbulence structure and indicated cloud seeding potential will be evaluated. The analysis presented here in Part II focuses on multiple remote sensor and surface microphysical observations collected from a midbarrier (2.57 km MSL) field site. The collocated remote sensors were a dual-channel microwave radiometer, a polarization lidar, and a Ka-band Doppler radar. These data are supplemented by upwind, valley-based C-band Doppler radar observations, which provided a considerably larger-scale view of the storm. In general, storm properties above the barrier were either dominated by barrier-level orographic clo...