OU-PRIME

Lifting of radome base for OU-PRIME

Installation of 8.5-meter dish for OU-PRIME

Completion of radome for OU-PRIME

Commissioning of OU-PRIME on April 4, 2009

OU-PRIME after completion, September 2009

OU-PRIME (Polarimetric Radar for Innovations in Meteorology and Engineering) is an advanced Doppler weather radar. It was completed in January 2009 after a ten-month construction period and commissioned on April 4, 2009.^[1][2] It is operated by the Atmospheric Radar Research Center (ARRC) at the University of Oklahoma (OU). The radar was built to provide OU students and faculty a platform for research and education in the field of radar meteorology. This C-band polarimetric radar has the highest resolution of any C-band, polarimetric, research, weather radar in the United States and possibly the world.^[1][2][3][4]

System characteristics

OU-PRIME, aka OU', is located on the Research Campus of the University of Oklahoma within walking distance of the National Weather Center building. Through a unique design, OU-PRIME can provide real-time time-series data providing opportunities for rapid developments in radar signal processing algorithms. Because of its C-band wavelength and 1 MW transmit power, OU-PRIME is extremely sensitive to clouds with approximately 10 dB more sensitivity over the NEXRAD system (S-band).

Characteristics^[4] :

• Location 35°10′48.8″N 97°26′0.6″W / 35.180222°N 97.4335°W / 35.180222; -97.4335Coordinates: 35°10′48.8″N 97°26′0.6″W / 35.180222°N 97.4335°W / 35.180222; -97.4335
• Radiating Center Height is 80 feet (24.4 m)
• Operating frequency is 5510 MHz (C-band)
  • Wavelength: 5.44 cm
  • Pulse Length: 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0 usec
  • Pulse Repetition Frequency: 300-2000 Hz, 1-Hz step
• 1 MW Peak Power (magnetron with solid-state modulator)
• 8.5-meter Andrew's precision C-band dish
  • High angular resolution: 0.45 degree @ -3 dB points
  • Gain: 50 dBi
  • Sidelobe Level: Better than -26 dB one-way
  • Cross-Pol: Better than -30 dB
• Rotation rate: 6-25 deg/sec under typical scanning (30 deg/sec Max)
• Minimum Detectable Signal: -112 dBm
  • Radar Sensitivity: -15 dBZ at 50 km
  • Noise Figure: 3 dB
• Simultaneous dual-polarization
• Flexible computing platform for real-time algorithm development
• Real-time I/Q data recording/processing
  • A/D converter resolution: 16 bit
  • Receiver bandwidth: 6 MHz
  • Gate spacing: 25-500 m
  • Number of range gates: up to 2200
  • Clutter suppression: 60 dB (automatic detection/suppression using CLEAN-AP [1])
  • Advanced signal processing framework based on new STEP algorithm, including clutter estimation/suppression and multi-lag moment estimation

Research and educational pursuits

• An integral part of OU's Weather Radar Curriculum
• Non-precipitating cloud studies
• Advanced signal processing algorithm development (e.g. Doppler spectrum)
• Weather radar polarimetry / QPE
• Next-generation digital receiver design
• Severe weather detection algorithms based on spectral processing
• Precipitation microphysics
• Radar-based aerobiology
• Adaptive real-time processing
• Cloud physics and electrification
• Storm dynamics

External links

• OU-PRIME website & real-time display
• ARRC website
• University of Oklahoma website
• University of Oklahoma opens student access to advanced weather radar, Tulsa World, April 2009.
• New weather radar unveiled at Univ. of Oklahoma, USA TODAY, April 2009.
• Enterprise Electronics Corporation

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Atmospheric Radar Research Center (April 3rd, 2009). "THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA TO HOLD COMMISSIONING CEREMONY FOR NEWEST RADAR" (pdf). University of Oklahoma. http://arrc.ou.edu/news/Radar_Commissioning.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-15. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ ^{a b} Clark Foy (January 2009). "Hi-def radar comes to South Campus". The Oklahoma Daily. http://oudaily.com/news/2009/jan/21/hi-def-radar-comes-south-campus/. Retrieved 2009-04-15. 
3. ^ Bryan Painter (March 7th, 2009). "OU-PRIME captures information from February tornado". The Oklahoman Direct. http://www.newsok.com/ou-prime-captures-information-from-february-tornado/article/3350356. Retrieved 2009-04-15. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Atmospheric Radar Research Center. "OU-PRIME" (pdf). University of Oklahoma. http://arrc.ou.edu/ouprime/OUPRIME_UserFlyer.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-15. ^{[dead link]}