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The Challenges for an operational wind profiler. Remote and unattended Tim Oakley. TECO-05 Bucharest, 4 th -7 th May 2005. Plan. Background Why? Installation How? Problems & Solutions Current Status Was it a success? Future Challenges .
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The Challenges for an operational wind profiler. Remote and unattended Tim Oakley TECO-05 Bucharest, 4th -7th May 2005
Plan • Background Why? • Installation How? • Problems & Solutions • Current Status Was it a success? • Future Challenges
Network 2000 • 8 ‘Core’ stations, manned 24/7 • Met Office proposed to close Stornoway. • Replace with a wind-profiler
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
Competitive tender. Vaisala system with antenna from ATRAD(Australia) 64MHz 144 Yagi array Chosen System ?
South Uist Site Location of antenna Open sea to west Internal loch
Processing electronics + beam switching + transmit/receive switches Transmitters
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)
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
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)
PMSE Echo’s Solution – Change Configuration File
Interfering signal • Changed oscillators. Shielded/rerouted cables
Interfering signal • Internal/External signal?
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!
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
Current Upper-Air Network 2004 2 Manned Radiosonde Sites 4 Autosonde Sites Supplementary Radiosonde sites, ascents as required 5 Wind-Profiler Sites
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.
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