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Reference: "A Short Course in Cloud Physics" by Rogers and Yau (Pergamon)
The lecture aims at students' basic understanding of radar system and analyses using radar data. Only radars used for weather observations in the troposphere is a subject of the lecture. The lecture of composed of five parts.
[Aug 13pm] 1: Fundamentals in electromagnetic waves
To understand the basics of electromagnetic waves, fundamental equations (Maxwell equations and vector wave equation) are explained. Because radars detects targets using radiowaves radiated from the antenna, theories to describe electromagnetic radiation are given. The basics of radiowave propagation in the atmosphere are also given.
[Aug 14am] 2: Basics of radar remote sensing
Radio frequency used for radars ranges from HF band (3-30 MHz) to W band (75-110 GHz) due to the various targets used for atmospheric observations. To understand wide variety of radars used for weather observations, examples of radar systems using various frequencies (from HF band to W band) are shown. Radar equation is important for designing a radar system. Radar equations for soft targets (turbulence) and hard targets (precipitation particles) are given.
[Aug 14pm] 3: Basics of wind observation by atmospheric radars
By receiving echoes from fluctuations of refractive index, atmospheric radars, frequently called wind profiler, observe height profiles of winds in clear regions. Theories and methods to obtain wind profiles using echoes from fluctuations of refractive index are explained.
[Aug 15am] 4: Basics of precipitation observation by weather radars
By receiving echoes from raindrops, weather radars observe parameters related to precipitation (radar reflectivity factor, rainfall rate, etc.) and winds. Methods to obtain observational parameters from weather radar data are explained.
[Aug 15pm] 5: Discussion and final tests
Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyto University has been developed and operating various kinds of radars operated at VHF band (MU radar and the Equatorial Atmosphere Radar), L band (1.3-GHz boundary layer radar and Lower Troposphere Radar), and Ka band (millimeter-wave radars). Systems and observational results of the radars developed at RISH are presented. To check the achievement of the lecture, final tests are carried out.