An Investigation Into the Contamination of WSR-88D VAD Wind Profile Output by Migrating Birds

An Investigation Into the Contamination of WSR-88D VAD Wind Profile Output by Migrating Birds
Author: Karl Werner Schulze
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2003
Genre:
ISBN:

The VAD Wind Profile (VWP), a time-height display of winds computed by the National Weather Service's WSR-88D radar, is known on occasion to have errors at night during the fall and spring seasons. Several studies, such Haro and Gauthreaux (1998), confirm that migrating birds often contaminate the VWP output. By means of telescopic observations of a full moon, birds were observed flying on two nights when VWP contamination was suspected. The nature of the VWP errors is consistent with migrating birds due to the seasonality, nocturnal nature, and the magnitude of the errors found (greater than 10 knots). With careful selection of data, two clusters of points on the Velocity-Azimuth Display (VAD) are found to exist at certain altitudes when birds begin migrating. One cluster of points is due to radar sample volumes containing birds, and the other cluster is from radar sample volumes without birds. Being able to determine which cluster represents the wind could allow the wind to be calculated by the VWP. Present limitations with the Radar Product Generator's processor and memory prohibit a very advanced detection algorithm. Two simple objective techniques to determine the existence of the two clusters, and determine the wind, were tested. While they show some promise, these methods require further operational testing to determine their usefulness for real-time warning of bird contamination and the reporting of the true wind.

Contamination of WSR-88D VAD Winds Due to Bird Migration

Contamination of WSR-88D VAD Winds Due to Bird Migration
Author: Thomas A. Niziol
Publisher:
Total Pages: 14
Release: 1998
Genre: Birds
ISBN:

"This paper presents a case study of bird contamination at the WSR-88D in Buffalo, New York, and suggests ways to alert forecasters to the potential for a bird contaminated Velocity Azimuth Display (VAD) Wind Profile (VWP)"--Introduction.

Flight Behaviour and Migration of Insect Pests

Flight Behaviour and Migration of Insect Pests
Author: D. R. Reynolds
Publisher:
Total Pages: 128
Release: 1997
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN:

Knowledge of the flight behaviour of migrant insect pests is essential for an understanding of their population dynamics, which in turn determine the design of efficient management strategies. This bulletin provides a detailed review of the development of radar entomology, spanning the last 30 years, and its contribution to the study of major insect pests of agriculture and human health in the developing world. Pests include grasshoppers and locusts, the African armyworm, rice brown planthopper and other rice pests, the old world bollworm and some mosquito vectors of human diseases.

Practical Meteorology

Practical Meteorology
Author: Roland Stull
Publisher: Sundog Publishing, LLC
Total Pages: 942
Release: 2018
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780888652836

A quantitative introduction to atmospheric science for students and professionals who want to understand and apply basic meteorological concepts but who are not ready for calculus.

Radar Meteorology

Radar Meteorology
Author: S. Raghavan
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 557
Release: 2013-03-09
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401702012

As we all know, weather radar came into existence during the Second World War when aircraft detection radars had their vision limited by echoes from rain bearing clouds. What was often considered to be of nuisance value by the air force personnel trying to locate enemy aircraft was seen as an opportunity by the weather men. Thus adversity in one field was converted into an opportunity in another. Since then weather radar has found myriad applications with the increased sophistication of technology and processing systems. It has now become an indispensable tool for the operational forecasters, cloud physicists and atmospheric scientists. The current generation radar is but a distant echo of the radars of the 1940s. As a result, its operation and maintenance have become very complex, like the technology it uses. Therefore, there is a definite requirement of focussing our special attention not only on the science of radar meteorology but also on its operational aspects. The present book, as pointed out by the author, attempts to fill this gap. The author has presented the subject with a balanced blend of science, technology and practice. The canvas is indeed very broad. Starting with the history of weather radar development the book goes on to discuss in a lucid style the physics of the atmosphere related to radar observation, radar technology, echo interpretation, different applications and finally attempts to look into the future to indicate potential new opportunities in this field.