Testbeds
The National Weather Radar Testbed (NWRT) for phased array radar was built in Norman, Oklahoma to maximize NSSL's rich radar resources to study and develop faster and more accurate warning, analysis and forecast techniques for severe and hazardous weather. NSSL is also participating in CASA, the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere, to explore sensing the lower atmosphere with a network of many short-wavelength radars that will operate collaboratively and adapt to changing atmospheric conditions and the needs of various end users (DCAS).
- The National Weather Radar Testbed at NSSL will
shorten the cycle time from weather radar research to National Weather
Service operations, leading to increased accuracy and lead-times, and reducing
the uncertainty of predicting severe weather events.
NSSL's National Weather Radar Testbed (NWRT) is the official facility where phased array technology will be tested and evaluated. PAR has the potential to provide revolutionary improvements in NWS tornado, severe storm, and flash flood warnings. - A cost-effective network of many small radars
that can scan lower regions of the atmosphere will provide better weather
coverage in high population or weather-sensitive areas.
The goal of the Oklahoma Test Bed is to demonstrate CASA (Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere) concepts for high temporal and spatial resolution sensing of winds in the lower atmosphere and detecting, tracking, and predicting severe storms, especially tornadoes.
