Publications
An Introduction to Basic Concepts of Weather RADAR for Use Within a GIS
Author(s): Multiple Authors
RGIS Regional Office: Great Plains, University of North Dakota
Date of Publication: 2006
Synopsis:
This module identifies the basic process used in transforming a transmitted and received microwave energy pulse into precipitation estimation. The module also explains the methods and issues associated with collection of radar data and the assumptions made in the process of precipitation estimations using this type of data. Included is a description of the effects that the physical world has on the precipitation itself as it exits the cloud base and travels through the atmosphere to the earth’s surface. The module also explains the transformation of the radar’s “raster-type” pixel shape into a raster grid with cells comprised of sides of equal dimensions and how that affects the original data values. Lastly, the difference in the use of precipitation estimate outputs using a raster grid verses a point location will be discussed with examples given.
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