CAMEX-4 ER-2 DOPpler radar (EDOP)

The CAMEX-4 ER-2 Doppler Radar dataset was collected by the ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP), which is an X-band (9.6 GHz) Doppler radar mounted in the nose of ER-2. The instrument has two fixed antennas, one pointing at nadir and the second pointing approximately 33 degrees ahead of nadir. The beam width of the antenna is 3 degrees in the vertical and horizontal directions which, for a 20 km altitude, yields a nadir footprint at the surface of 1 km.

The TCSP ER-2 DOPPLER RADAR (EDOP) dataset was collected by the ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP), which is an X-band (9.6 GHz) Doppler radar mounted in the nose of the ER-2 aircraft that provides vertically profiled reflectivity and Doppler velocity at aircraft nadir along the flight track. The instrument has two fixed antennas, one pointing at nadir and the second pointing approximately 33 degrees ahead of nadir. The beam width of the antenna is 3 degree in the vertical and horizontal directions which, for a 20 km altitude, yields a nadir footprint at the surface of 1 km. Each Antenna measures the doppler velocity, doppler spectral width, and reflectivity factor. Doppler velocities provide a measure of the pulse volume-weighted hydrometer motion (hydrometer fallspeed + air motion). Vertical air motion can be calculated from the nadir beam by removing the fallspeed contribution with an approximation. The linear depolarization ratio (the ratio of the cross-polar to the co-polar reflectivites) can be measured along the forward beam. EDOP provides measurements from a forward pointing beam that is used in combination with the nadir beam for estimating the along-track winds. The TCSP mission collected data for research and documentation of cyclogenesis, the interaction of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and air pressure that creates ideal birthing conditions for tropical storms, hurricanes and related phenomena. The goal of this mission was to help us better understand how hurricanes and other tropical storms are formed and intensify.

The CAMEX-4 2nd Generation Precipitation Radar dataset was collected by the Second Generation Precipitation Radar (PR-2), which is a dual-frequency, Doppler, dual-polarization radar system that includes digital, real-time pulse compression, extremely compact RF electronics, and a large deployable dual-frequency cylindrical parabolic antenna subsystem. The PR-2 Doppler radar was used during the CAMEX-4 campaign to collect data for studying tropical storms and cyclones.

The CAMEX-4 NPAA WP-3D Radar dataset used the NOAA WP-3D Orion aircraft, which has two separate research radars to collect meteorological data. One is mounted on the lower fuselage (C-band), and the other is located in the tail (X-band). CAMEX-4 focused on the study of tropical cyclone (hurricane) development, tracking, intensification, and landfalling impacts using NASA-funded aircraft and surface remote sensing instrumentation. Data from these radars consist of reflectivity in range and azimuth coordinates collected either in the horizontal (lower fuselage) or vertical (tail radar) planes. Doppler radial velocity is also collected by the tail radar. For further information and to obtain this data, please contact GHRC at support-ghrc@earthdata.nasa.gov