A Statistical Averaging Method for Wind Profiler Doppler Spectra

Abstract

A new method is presented for Doppler spectral averaging that more reliably identifies the profiler radar return from clear air in the presence of contamination?for example, from migrating bird echoes. These very sensitive radars profile the wind in the atmosphere by detecting the very weak backscatter from index-of-refraction fluctuations caused by turbulence in clear air. But these radars also ?see? the much stronger echoes from ground clutter (from trees and vehicles) and from fliers (aircraft, insects, and birds). Clutter and fliers have radar signatures in general that are different from atmospheric signatures. The new method uses this difference to extract atmospheric signals from contaminated Doppler spectra.