WMOD00417

• Title: Computer Processing of Digital Radar Data Gathered During HIPLEX
• Date: 4/4/1978
• Weather Modification - Doc Type: Report

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504

JOURNAL OF APPLIED METEOROLOGY

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RC OROf.l

c.OMPOSITE F'pr

RAOAR SITE
OATE
START T I~IE
ENO T If'lr(

LOW OBI THRESHOLO .
MAXIMUM TIL.T

......................
....................

..................
................ .

................ ~AOAR H[IGHT-"'SL
................ RANGE OEL.AY
.............. RANGE I'1ARKER I
............ RANGE "'ARKER 2
........... RANGE (NO

......... .
.........

......... CATFGORY-OBZ
( -20
-20 TO (10
IOTa < 20
20 TO <30
30 TO (1t0
ItO ra (50
!to TO (60
). 60
"jRCRA.F f

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T lL T
1.0
2.0
3.0
".0
'.0
6.0
7,0
B.a
9.0
10.0
, , .0
12'.0
'3.0
TOTALS

BINS A80V[
NOISE L.Ev[L
1707
13""
1015
6B7
39'
33..
2"6
'2
I~
,..
3
o
o
'BIB

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FIG. 4. Composite PPI for 0247 GMT 11 May 1976.

c. Data conversion and processing (program RADPROC)

At this stage of processing, the radar data are still
in their original DVIP units. A modified version of the
Probert-Jones (1962) radar equation is used to convert
the DVIP value to meteorological units. Errors due to
high reflectivity gradients are not considered although
they could be appreciable in some instances.
For each 3600 sweep and volume scan, study cases
are summarized in report form and on magnetic tape
files. A B-scan optionally output on microfiche displays
the measured radar intensity using a 14-character
alphanumeric code representing 14 levels of 5 dBZ each,
ranging from less than 5 to greater than 65 dBZ. In
addition, a variable length record file containing re-
flectivity data is written on magnetic tape, and on
microfiche as an option. A report of internal program
information is also supplied with every run of the pro-
gram. Whenever tables need to be recomputed due to
changes in switch settings of the radar, a message is
written to inform the user.

VOLUME 1 i

PAGE I I

.. MONTANA
76. 132
21t702
2'0'"

20.0 OBI
13.0 OEG

.80 I 1(1'1
25.00 1(",
75.00 "'M
125.00 101
1!t0.00 I(M

CH,UUC TEA

..
5
6

OBI' S ABOVE
THRESHOLO
'9B
7B
100
B'
32
2
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
"9'

In addition to the four reports generated by the
edit program, the one report and four displays produced
by the composite B-scan and error correction program,
RADPROC has the option to produce two reports,
two magnetic tape files, and one display. A B-scan
display, Z. report and status report can be generated
directly from RADPROC. The two magnetic tape
files are described below.

1) COMPRESSED Z. FILE

The purpose of this file is to supply the user com-
munity with equivalent reflectivity (Z.) data already
edited and preprocessed in an easily accessible, com-
pressed form.
This file has variable length records containing the
information shown in Table 4. Data are compressed for
optimum utilization of tape. Bin information consists
of the location of the first and last data bin. A B-scan
may be reconstructed from this file even though each
record contains only bin information defined for a