Handbook on Use of Radio Spectrum for Meteorology:Weather, Water and Climate Monitoring andPrediction - Edition of 2017
PREFACE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1
     1.1 Meteorological systems of the World Weather Watch
          1.1.1 Global Observing System
               1.1.1.1 Surface observing
               1.1.1.2 Upper-air observing
               1.1.1.3 Radar observations
               1.1.1.4 Observing stations at sea
               1.1.1.5 Observations from aircraft
               1.1.1.6 Observations from satellites
     1.2 Observing systems of other WMO programmes
          1.2.1 WMO Global Atmosphere Watch
          1.2.2 Global Climate Observing System
          1.2.3 Hydrology and water resources programme
     1.3 WMO Integrated Global Observing Systems (WIGOS)
CHAPTER 2
     2.1 Definition of the meteorological satellite service (MetSat) and its frequency allocations
          2.1.1 General concept of MetSat satellite systems
     2.2 MetSat systems using geostationary (GSO) satellites
          2.2.1 GSO MetSat raw image sensor data transmissions
          2.2.2 GSO MetSat data dissemination
               2.2.2.1 Stretched Visible Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (S-VISSR)
               2.2.2.2 Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) Variable (GVAR)
               2.2.2.3 Weather Facsimile (WEFAX)
               2.2.2.4 Low Rate Information Transmission (LRIT)
               2.2.2.5 High Rate Information Transmission (HRIT)
          2.2.3 GSO MetSat Data Collection Platforms (DCPs)
               2.2.3.1 Basic general partitioning and sharing conditions for the band 401-403 MHz
     2.3 MetSat systems using non-GSO satellites
          2.3.1 Non-GSO MetSat raw instrument data transmissions
               2.3.1.1 Non-GSO MetSat raw instrument data transmissions using the band 25.5-27 GHz
          2.3.2 Non-GSO MetSat data dissemination
               2.3.2.1 Non-GSO MetSat data dissemination using the band 1 698–1 710 MHz
                    2.3.2.1.1 Automatic Picture Transmission (APT)
                    2.3.2.1.2 Low Resolution Picture Transmission (LRPT)
                    2.3.2.1.3 High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT)
               2.3.2.2 Non-GSO MetSat data dissemination using the band 7 750-7 900 MHz
          2.3.3 Non-GSO MetSat Data Collection Systems (DCSs)
     2.4 Alternative data dissemination mechanisms
CHAPTER 3
     3.1 Introduction
          3.1.1 Allocated RF bands
          3.1.2 Meteorological functions of the MetAids service
     3.2 Examples of MetAids sensing systems
          3.2.1 Radiosondes
          3.2.2 Dropsondes
          3.2.3 Rocketsondes
     3.3 Factors influencing the characteristics of the MetAids systems
          3.3.1 Ground-based receiver antenna system
          3.3.2 Ground-based processing system
          3.3.3 Expendable sensing packages
     3.4 Characteristics of meteorological observations required from the MetAids service
     3.5 Reasons for national variations in MetAids service operations
          3.5.1 Variation in available technology
          3.5.2 Differences in upper wind climatology
          3.5.3 Differences in network density
          3.5.4 Use of the 401-406 MHz band
          3.5.5 Use of the 1 668.4-1 700 MHz band
          3.5.6 Requirements for the retention of both bands
     3.6 Future trends
CHAPTER 4
     4.1 Introduction
          4.1.1 Meteorological radar types
          4.1.2 Radar equation
     4.2 Weather radars
          4.2.1 User requirements
          4.2.2 Weather radar networks
          4.2.3 Operational aspects of reflectivity
          4.2.4 Weather radars emission schemes, scanning strategies and operational modes
               4.2.4.1 Emission schemes
               4.2.4.2 Noise calibration
               4.2.4.3 Operational modes for meteorological radar
                    4.2.4.3.1 Clear air mode
                    4.2.4.3.2 Precipitation mode
               4.2.4.4 Fixed echo elimination
          4.2.5 Doppler radars
          4.2.6 Dual-polarization radars
          4.2.7 Conventional meteorological radar base data products
               4.2.7.1 Base reflectivity
               4.2.7.2 Mean radial velocity
               4.2.7.3 Spectrum width
               4.2.7.4 Dual polarization meteorological radar products
                    4.2.7.4.1 Differential reflectivity
                    4.2.7.4.2 Correlation coefficient
                    4.2.7.4.3 Linear depolarization ratio
                    4.2.7.4.4 Differential phase
               4.2.7.5 Derived data products
          4.2.8 Antenna pattern and antenna dynamics
               4.2.8.1 Antenna patterns
               4.2.8.2 Volume scan antenna movement
               4.2.8.3 Other antenna movement strategies
          4.2.9 Present and future spectrum requirements
               4.2.9.1 Weather radar frequency bands
               4.2.9.2 Attenuation
               4.2.9.3 Maximum unambiguous range and velocity estimates
               4.2.9.4 Echo coherency
               4.2.9.5 Resonance effects – quantitative intensity measurements
               4.2.9.6 Conclusions
          4.2.10 Vulnerabilities of weather radars
               4.2.10.1 Types of possible interference
               4.2.10.2 Impact of constant interference
                    4.2.10.2.1  Geographical coverage
                    4.2.10.2.2 Rain rate
                    4.2.10.2.3 Wind measurement
               4.2.10.3 Impact of pulsed interference
               4.2.10.4 Interference from wind farms
                    4.2.10.4.1 Masking
                    4.2.10.4.2 Clutter
                    4.2.10.4.3 Backscattered energy from turbulent eddies
                    4.2.10.4.4 Examples of wind turbine clutter
                    4.2.10.4.5 Impact of WTC on meteorological radar operations and forecasting accuracy
          4.2.11 Vulnerabilities of systems sharing spectrum with weather radars
          4.2.12 Future trends
     4.3 Wind profiler radars (WPRs)
          4.3.1 User requirements
          4.3.2 Operational and frequency aspects
          4.3.3 Present and future spectrum requirements
          4.3.4 Sharing aspects of wind profilers
CHAPTER 5
     5.1 Introduction
     5.2 Passive microwave radiometry sensing
          5.2.1 Spectrum requirements
          5.2.2 Observation of Earth’s surface features
               5.2.2.1 Observation over ocean surfaces
               5.2.2.2 Observation over land surfaces
               5.2.2.3 Auxiliary parameters for other remote sensing instruments
          5.2.3 Performance parameters
               5.2.3.1 Radiometric sensitivity
               5.2.3.2 Radiometer threshold (P
               5.2.3.3 Geometric resolution
               5.2.3.4 Integration time
          5.2.4 Typical operating conditions of passive sensors
               5.2.4.1 Low Earth-orbiting satellites
               5.2.4.2 Geostationary satellites
          5.2.5 Main technical characteristics
          5.2.6 Performance and interference criteria
          5.2.7 Three-dimensional measurement of atmospheric parameters
               5.2.7.1 Passive microwave atmospheric vertical sounders
               5.2.7.2 Mechanism of vertical atmospheric sounding
               5.2.7.3 Utilization of vertical atmospheric sounding
               5.2.7.4 Characteristics of nadir-looking passive sensors operating in the 60 GHz range
               5.2.7.5 Passive microwave limb sounders
               5.2.7.6 Vulnerability to interference of passive microwave sounders
     5.3 Active sensors
          5.3.1 Introduction
          5.3.2 Synthetic aperture radars (SARs)
          5.3.3 Altimeters
          5.3.4 Scatterometers
          5.3.5 Precipitation radars
          5.3.6 Cloud profile radars
          5.3.7 Sensor interference and performance criteria
          5.3.8 Power flux-density (pfd) levels
CHAPTER 6
     6.1 Introduction
     6.2 Dissemination systems
     6.3 Hydrological systems
     6.4 Radiocommunications for remote meteorological and environment systems
     6.5 Meteorological uses of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs)
     6.6 Lightning detection systems
     6.7 Ground-based remote sensing
     6.8 Unmanned Aircraft Systems