Turbulence intensity estimation using advanced radar methods

Abstract

This paper presents an advanced radar method and novel algorithm for retrieving turbulence intensity from precipitation measurements, using coherent fully polarimetric radar system. The algorithm computes the Eddy dissipation rate based on adaptive estimation of a Doppler spectrum width in the radar resolution volume and a variance of the mean Doppler velocity in space and in time. The adaptation consists in estimation and removal of nonturbulent contributions to all informative parameters based on reflected signal processing. The algorithm has been verified experimentally by comparing EDR values retrieved from radar signals with in situ sonic anemometer measurements.