On the Sensitivity of Weather Radars

Abstract

This paper discusses the subject of weather radar system sensitivity from a general point of view, with emphasis an the influence of wavelength. Expressions for the echo signal-to-noise ratio are examined using a detection theory approach to develop factors describing the effects of different signal processing techniques. Then the variation of the equivalent signal-to-noise ratio with wavelength under certain typical system design constraints is examined. The effects of both theoretical and technology system design considerations are assessed. The results vary with the design scenario and the signal processing method, but the main conclusion is that short-wavelength weather radars are not necessarily more sensitive than long-wavelength ones.