Evaluation of Doppler radar for airport wind shear detection

The utility of Doppler radar measurement techniques for detecting low-level wind shear at airports is examined. The Doppler radar data of the Joint Airport Weather Studies (JAWS) for windshear microburst features are analyzed, in order to determine the optimal resolution, sensitivity, and scanning strategy for a standard system. The performance of three separate systems for measuring wind shear at heights of less than 200 meters is compared. The three systems included a dual-Doppler system, a single off-airport Doppler system, and a single on-airport Doppler system. On the basis of the comparison the following recommendations are offered concerning the optimal performance of a Doppler radar system in the airport environment: (1) the system should be able to measure radial velocities over a range of reflectivity of -10-80 dBZ; (2) ground clutter should be reduced; and techniques for identifying and disseminating wind shear information should be automated.