Evaluation of the Multifunction Phased Array Radar Planning Process

Evaluation of the Multifunction Phased Array Radar Planning Process
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 91
Release: 2008-08-14
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309178444

The Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR) is one potentially cost-effective solution to meet the surveillance needs and of several agencies currently using decades-old radar networks. These agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have many and varied requirements and possible applications of modern radar technology. This book analyzes what is lacking in the current system, the relevant capabilities of phased array technology, technical challenges, cost issues, and compares possible alternatives. Both specific and overarching recommendations are outlined.

The National Weather Service Modernization and Associated Restructuring

The National Weather Service Modernization and Associated Restructuring
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 120
Release: 2012-02-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309217989

The Modernization and Associated Restructuring (MAR) of the National Weather Service (NWS) was a large and complex re-engineering of a federal agency. The process lasted a decade and cost an estimated $4.5 billion. The result was greater integration of science into weather service activities and improved outreach and coordination with users of weather information. The MAR created a new, modernized NWS, and, significantly, it created a framework that will allow the NWS to keep up with technological changes in a more evolutionary manner. The MAR was both necessary and generally well executed. However, it required revolutionary, often difficult, changes. The procurement of large, complex technical systems presented challenges in and of itself. The MAR also affected the career paths and personal lives of a large portion of the field office workforce. The MAR created a new, modernized NWS, and, significantly, it created a framework that will allow the NWS to keep up with technological changes in a more evolutionary manner. The National Weather Service Modernization and Associated Restructuring presents the first comprehensive assessment of the execution of the MAR and its impact on the provision of weather services in the United States. This report provides an assessment that addresses the past modernization as well as lessons learned to support future improvements to NWS capabilities.

Scientific Value of Arctic Sea Ice Imagery Derived Products

Scientific Value of Arctic Sea Ice Imagery Derived Products
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2009-06-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309141826

During the 1990s, a government program brought together environmental scientists and members of the intelligence community to consider how classified assets and data could be applied to further the understanding of environmental change. As part of the Medea program, collection of overhead classified imagery of sea ice at four sites around the Arctic basin was initiated in 1999, and two additional sites were added in 2005. Collection of images during the summer months at these six locations has continued until the present day. Several hundred unclassified images with a nominal resolution of 1 meter have been derived from the classified images collected at the 6 Arctic sites. To assist in the process of making the unclassified derived imagery more widely useful, the National Research Council reviewed the derived images and considered their potential uses for scientific research. In this book, we explore the importance of sea ice in the Arctic and illustrate the types of information-often unique in its detail-that the derived images could contribute to the scientific discussion.

Weather Services for the Nation

Weather Services for the Nation
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 110
Release: 2012-11-02
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309259754

During the 1980s and 1990s, the National Weather Service (NWS) undertook a major program called the Modernization and Associated Restructuring (MAR). The MAR was officially completed in 2000. No comprehensive assessment of the execution of the MAR plan, or comparison of the promised benefits of the MAR to its actual impact, had ever been conducted. Therefore, Congress asked the National Academy of Sciences to conduct an end-to-end assessment. That report, The National Weather Service Modernization and Associated Restructuring: A Retrospective Assessment, concluded that the MAR was a success. Now, twelve years after the official completion of the MAR, the challenges faced by the NWS are no less important than those of the pre-MAR era. The three key challenges are: 1) Keeping Pace with accelerating scientific and technological advancement, 2) Meeting Expanding and Evolving User Needs in an increasingly information centric society, and 3) Partnering with an Increasingly Capable Enterprise that has grown considerably since the time of the MAR. Weather Services for the Nation presents three main recommendations for responding to these challenges. These recommendations will help the NWS address these challenges, making it more agile and effective. This will put it on a path to becoming second to none at integrating advances in science and technology into its operations and at meeting user needs, leading in some areas and keeping pace in others. It will have the highest quality core capabilities among national weather services. It will have a more agile organizational structure and workforce that allow it to directly or indirectly reach more end-users, save more lives, and help more businesses. And it will have leveraged these capabilities through the broader enterprise. This approach will make possible societal benefits beyond what the NWS budget alone allows.

When Weather Matters

When Weather Matters
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2010-12-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309152496

The past 15 years have seen marked progress in observing, understanding, and predicting weather. At the same time, the United States has failed to match or surpass progress in operational numerical weather prediction achieved by other nations and failed to realize its prediction potential; as a result, the nation is not mitigating weather impacts to the extent possible. This book represents a sense of the weather community as guided by the discussions of a Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate community workshop held in summer 2009. The book puts forth the committee's judgment on the most pressing high level, weather-focused research challenges and research to operations needs, and makes corresponding recommendations. The book addresses issues including observations, global non-hydrostatic coupled modeling, data assimilation, probabilistic forecasting, and quantitative precipitation and hydrologic forecasting. The book also identifies three important, emerging issues-predictions of very high impact weather, urban meteorology, and renewable energy development-not recognized or emphasized in previous studies. Cutting across all of these challenges is a set of socioeconomic issues, whose importance and emphasis-while increasing-has been undervalued and underemphasized in the past and warrants greater recognition and priority today.

Monitoring Climate Change Impacts

Monitoring Climate Change Impacts
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 110
Release: 2010-10-27
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309163285

The stresses associated with climate change are expected to be felt keenly as human population grows to a projected 9 billion by the middle of this century, increasing the demand for resources and supporting infrastructure. Therefore, information to assess vulnerabilities to climate change is needed to support policies and investments designed to increase resilience in human and Earth systems. There are currently many observing systems that capture elements of how climate is changing, for example, direct measurements of atmospheric and ocean temperature. Although those measurements are essential for understanding the scale and nature of climate change, they do not necessarily provide information about the impacts of climate change on humans that are especially relevant for political and economic planning and decision making. Monitoring Climate Change Impacts tackles the challenge of developing an illustrative suite of indicators, measurements (and the locations around the globe where the measurements can be applied), and metrics that are important for understanding global climate change and providing insight into environmental sustainability. Eight panels provided input on: cryosphere, land-surface and terrestrial ecosystems, hydrology and water resources, atmosphere, human health and other dimensions, oceans (both physical and biological/chemical), and natural disasters. The book also provides an illustrative set of metrics that are likely to be affected by climate change over the next 20-25 years and, when taken together, can potentially give advance warning of climate-related changes to the human and environment systems.

Communications, Signal Processing, and Systems

Communications, Signal Processing, and Systems
Author: Qilian Liang
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 2720
Release: 2020-04-04
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9811394091

This book brings together papers from the 2019 International Conference on Communications, Signal Processing, and Systems, which was held in Urumqi, China, on July 20–22, 2019. Presenting the latest developments and discussing the interactions and links between these multidisciplinary fields, the book spans topics ranging from communications to signal processing and systems. It is chiefly intended for undergraduate and graduate students in electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics, researchers and engineers from academia and industry, as well as government employees.

Seaforth World Naval Review 2014

Seaforth World Naval Review 2014
Author: Conrad Waters
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
Total Pages: 194
Release: 2013-11-07
Genre: History
ISBN: 1848323263

Since its launch in 2009 this annual has rapidly established a reputation as an authoritative but affordable summary of all that has happened in the naval world in the previous twelve months. It combines the standing features of regional surveys with one-off major articles on noteworthy new ships and other important developments. Besides the latest warship projects, it also looks at wider issues of importance to navies, such as aviation and electronics, and calls on expertise from around the globe to give a balanced picture of what is going on and to interpret its significance. Special features for this year include a survey of current and future torpedo developments, an in-depth study of the Royal New Zealand Navy, a look at how the Royal Navy is coping after the Strategic Defense and Security Review, plus analyses of significant new warship classes: the Japanese Hyuga class DHH concept, the USNS Spearhead Joint Hish-Speed Vessels, Danish Iver Huitfeldt class frigatees, and German AIP technology as demonstrated in the recent Type 212A submarines. For anyone with an interest in contemporary naval affairs, whether an enthusiast or a defence professional, this annual has become required reading.

Indian Defence Review Oct-Dec Vol. 28.4

Indian Defence Review Oct-Dec Vol. 28.4
Author: Bharat Verma
Publisher: Lancer Publishers LLC
Total Pages: 96
Release: 2013-11-12
Genre: Arms control
ISBN: 8170621348

-------------------------------------- From the Editor -------------------------------------- MILITARY: The Grid of Violence – Bharat Verma -------------------------------------- Indian Defence Review Comment -------------------------------------- EASTERN LADAKH: Can India Afford the Luxury of Inaction? – Lt Gen JS Bajwa No Human Occupant: The Growing Challenges of UAS Pilot Training – David Oliver Evolution of Ground-Based Air Defence Weapons – Air Marshal Narayan Menon Equipping Cutting Edge Infantry – Lt Gen Prakash Katoch Rise of the PLAAF: Implications for India – Gp Capt AK Sachdev Challenges Facing Civil Aviation in India – Robert S Metzger Aerospace and Defence News – Priya Tyagi Games Nations Play: Chinese Assertiveness & America’s Re-balancing – Brig Amar Cheema The Ray of Death: Directed-Energy Weapons – Gp Capt Joseph Noronha Infrastructure in the IAF: A Force Multiplier – Air Marshal Raghu Rajan Empowerment of a Power House: The Infantry Battalion – Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee Network Centric Warfare – Lt Gen Prakash Katoch Chinese Innovations – Claude Arpi