Fri, Jul 17, 2009
Dual-Polarization Weather Radar Is A Prototype Test Bed
In our never-ending search for the answer to the question
"What's the weather?", Baron Services, in partnership with L-3
Enterprise IT Solutions (EITS), says the EITS/Baron Services team
has installed the first of the National Weather Services' 171
NEXRAD upgrades in Norman, OK. A culmination of the team's 12-month
design phase and the successful completion of the Critical Design
Review last October, this prototype will serve as a test bed for
rigorous hardware and software trials until May 2010.
"Not only will this installation demonstrate successful proof of
design, but also, it is a prime example of the strategic
partnerships Baron Services has created with the National Weather
Service and our teammate L-3 Enterprise IT Solutions," said Bob
Baron, President and CEO of Baron Services. "Though the
installation is a huge accomplishment, we understand the greater
magnitude of this project, and the team is focused on meeting our
customer's requirements."
The EITS/Baron team was awarded the five-year NEXRAD contract in
October 2007, and is providing design, development, and production
of a comprehensive, system-wide upgrade of the 171 NWS, Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DOD)
NEXRAD radars to dual-polarization. Awarded based on the best
technological solution and overall value, the contract's
implementation will vastly improve forecasting for critical weather
events, such as flash floods, in the future.
File Photo
Unlike conventional systems that transmit only a horizontal
scan, dual-polarization radars emit both vertically and
horizontally polarized beams. Through use of hydrometeor
classification for identifying locations and types of
precipitation, dual-polarization radars deliver larger amounts of
more accurate information concerning the size, shape, orientation,
and state of hydrological data. This information provides
forecasting professionals the ability to identify precipitation
events more precisely than was possible in the past.
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