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The Challenges for an operational wind profiler. Remote and unattended Tim Oakley

This presentation discusses the challenges faced in installing and maintaining an operational wind profiler for remote and unattended operation. It covers installation procedures, problems and solutions, current status, and future challenges.

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The Challenges for an operational wind profiler. Remote and unattended Tim Oakley

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  1. The Challenges for an operational wind profiler. Remote and unattended Tim Oakley TECO-05 Bucharest, 4th -7th May 2005

  2. Plan • Background Why? • Installation How? • Problems & Solutions • Current Status Was it a success?  • Future Challenges 

  3. Network 2000 • 8 ‘Core’ stations, manned 24/7 • Met Office proposed to close Stornoway. • Replace with a wind-profiler

  4. Either 440-450 or 50 - 65 MHz. Winds 1 - 12km (90%) Height Resolution 150m – 500m Temporal Res. 30min → 10min Random Error ≤ 2ms-1 (Absolute error tested against Radiosondes) Lifetime 10 years, harsh environment. 1 visit per 6 months. Wind Profiler Specification & location

  5. Competitive tender. Vaisala system with antenna from ATRAD(Australia) 64MHz 144 Yagi array Chosen System ?

  6. South Uist Site Location of antenna Open sea to west Internal loch

  7. Site Works – Jan 2003

  8. Site Works – Feb 2003 (end)

  9. 64 MHz wind profiler.

  10. Antenna fed from six transmitters

  11. Processing electronics + beam switching + transmit/receive switches Transmitters

  12. Installation Overview • Work Services complete – March 2003 • Antenna Installation – March 2003 (end) • Communication link installed – April 2003 • Electronics installed – May 2003 • First transmission – 9th May 2003 • (Project started – October 2000)

  13. Problems & Solutions. • ‘Bleed through’ on T-R Switch • Polar Mesosphere Summer Echo's (PMSE) • Interfering signals -Internal Oscillators -Comms. Cable -External? • Air Conditioning • IT Security • ‘Memory leak’? ( on Internet Explorer) • Remote Monitoring • Unique system – learning curve for all

  14. Bleed through (High Mode only). • Solution – Hardware solution not found. Software revision to remove gates around zero. Manufacturer (ATRAD) working on a hardware solution Atmospheric signal Interference (bleed through)

  15. PMSE Echo’s Solution – Change Configuration File

  16. Interfering signal • Changed oscillators. Shielded/rerouted cables

  17. Interfering signal • Internal/External signal?

  18. Solution? - MPP Signal Processing

  19. GraphXM plot (Classic)

  20. GraphXM plot (MPP)

  21. Problems & Solutions. • Air Conditioning Reset to off after power cut. Unit reconfigured. • IT Security Virus hit system Dec 03. Software ‘hardened’. • ‘Memory leak’? Monitored. Don’t leave IE running. • Remote Monitoring Installed WebCam. Developing new techniques. Working with Vaisala. • Unique system Solutions take longer!

  22. South Uist 64MHzCurrent Status • Final system acceptance test July 04 • Data being assimilated by UK NWP • Hand over to operations 30th Sept 04 • Operational configuration: - 4 beams (no vertical) - 2 modes, every 30mins - MPP algorithm - Opposing beam check

  23. Current 24 hour wind data

  24. Acceptance test – Flight 1

  25. Acceptance test – Flight 11

  26. Current Upper-Air Network 2004 2 Manned Radiosonde Sites 4 Autosonde Sites Supplementary Radiosonde sites, ascents as required 5 Wind-Profiler Sites

  27. Summary & Future Challenges. • Wind profilers – proven record for reliability and unattended operations. Systems accepted for operational use around the globe. • However we need more work/development in the following areas: • Remote monitoring – Early identification of system failures/degradation • Quality Evaluation – Improved data quality & training for operational network managers to identify problems. • High Resolution data – Use of this data both for nowcasting & system validation. • Integration – Using wind profilers with other remote sensing systems. • IT development – IT ( signal processing, security, communications) is a fundamental part of these systems. • Sustainability – Work with industry to ensure the continued support & availability of these systems. Plus development of the next generation.

  28. Advert: • Poster by Herb Winston, et al – Quantitative assessment of improved spectral moments selection algorithm on an operational 64 MHz clear-air doppler wind profiler • Quality management of a European wind profiler network (CWINDE) – Saturday! • Questions

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