Difference between revisions of "Radio acoustic sounding system"
From Glossary of Meteorology
imported>Perlwikibot (Created page with " {{TermHeader}} {{TermSearch}} <div class="termentry"> <div class="term"> == radio acoustic sounding system == </div> <div class="definition"><div class="short_definiti...") |
imported>Perlwikibot |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | <div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">(Abbreviated RASS.) A ground-based [[remote sensing]] method that combines [[radar]] and acoustic techniques to determine the [[vertical profile]] of [[virtual temperature]], often used in conjunction with [[wind profilers]].</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">With the RASS technique, [[sound waves]] generated by an acoustic source located near the radar produce perturbations in the atmospheric [[refractive index]]. The perturbations propagate upward in the air at the local [[speed of sound]] and serve as a [[target]] for the radar. When the acoustic [[wavelength]] is matched to half the radar wavelength (the [[Bragg scattering]] condition), a [[resonance]] condition develops that leads to the production of a detectable [[radar echo]]. The [[Doppler shift]] of this echo is a measure of the sum of the [[speed of sound]] and any vertical air motion in the [[radar volume]]. Early work with RASS either ignored the vertical air motion or used time averaging to reduce its effect. Some modern RASS processors have the ability to correct for vertical air motion. The local speed of sound is related to the virtual temperature by <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-Re11.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-Re11]]</blockquote></div> where ''C''<sub>''s''</sub> (m s<sup> | + | <div class="definition"><div class="short_definition">(Abbreviated RASS.) A ground-based [[remote sensing]] method that combines [[radar]] and acoustic techniques to determine the [[vertical profile]] of [[virtual temperature]], often used in conjunction with [[wind profilers]].</div><br/> <div class="paragraph">With the RASS technique, [[sound waves]] generated by an acoustic source located near the radar produce perturbations in the atmospheric [[refractive index]]. The perturbations propagate upward in the air at the local [[speed of sound]] and serve as a [[target]] for the radar. When the acoustic [[wavelength]] is matched to half the radar wavelength (the [[Bragg scattering]] condition), a [[resonance]] condition develops that leads to the production of a detectable [[radar echo]]. The [[Doppler shift]] of this echo is a measure of the sum of the [[speed of sound]] and any vertical air motion in the [[radar volume]]. Early work with RASS either ignored the vertical air motion or used time averaging to reduce its effect. Some modern RASS processors have the ability to correct for vertical air motion. The local speed of sound is related to the virtual temperature by <div class="display-formula"><blockquote>[[File:ams2001glos-Re11.gif|link=|center|ams2001glos-Re11]]</blockquote></div> where ''C''<sub>''s''</sub> (m s<sup>-1</sup>) is the speed of sound, ''R'' is the [[gas constant]] of air, γ (= ''c''<sub>''p''</sub>/''c''<sub>''v''</sub>) is the ratio of the [[specific heats]] of air, and ''T''<sub>''v''</sub> is the virtual temperature in degrees Kelvin. Using this relation, the [[vertical profile]] of sound speed can be converted to a profile of virtual temperature. The RASS technique depends on close matching of the acoustic wavelength to half the radar wavelength (called Bragg matching). To ensure that Bragg matching occurs throughout the [[range]] of temperature expected in the vertical profile, the acoustic source is swept in [[frequency]] over an interval broad enough to contain all the necessary spatial wavelengths. Bragg matching also requires that different acoustic frequency bands be used for different radar frequencies. Acoustic frequencies range from around 100 Hz for 50-MHz radars up to 2 kHz for radars operating around 1 GHz. Because acoustic [[attenuation]] in the [[atmosphere]] is strongly dependent on frequency, the height coverage or reach of RASS varies greatly with radar frequency. Typical small UHF [[boundary layer radars]] can measure RASS temperature profiles to about 1.5 km, whereas large VHF [[MST radars]] can measure the [[temperature]] up to 10 km or higher. <br/>''See also'' [[electromagnetic acoustic probe]].</div><br/> </div> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Latest revision as of 15:57, 20 February 2012
radio acoustic sounding system
(Abbreviated RASS.) A ground-based remote sensing method that combines radar and acoustic techniques to determine the vertical profile of virtual temperature, often used in conjunction with wind profilers.
With the RASS technique, sound waves generated by an acoustic source located near the radar produce perturbations in the atmospheric refractive index. The perturbations propagate upward in the air at the local speed of sound and serve as a target for the radar. When the acoustic wavelength is matched to half the radar wavelength (the Bragg scattering condition), a resonance condition develops that leads to the production of a detectable radar echo. The Doppler shift of this echo is a measure of the sum of the speed of sound and any vertical air motion in the radar volume. Early work with RASS either ignored the vertical air motion or used time averaging to reduce its effect. Some modern RASS processors have the ability to correct for vertical air motion. The local speed of sound is related to the virtual temperature by where Cs (m s-1) is the speed of sound, R is the gas constant of air, γ (= cp/cv) is the ratio of the specific heats of air, and Tv is the virtual temperature in degrees Kelvin. Using this relation, the vertical profile of sound speed can be converted to a profile of virtual temperature. The RASS technique depends on close matching of the acoustic wavelength to half the radar wavelength (called Bragg matching). To ensure that Bragg matching occurs throughout the range of temperature expected in the vertical profile, the acoustic source is swept in frequency over an interval broad enough to contain all the necessary spatial wavelengths. Bragg matching also requires that different acoustic frequency bands be used for different radar frequencies. Acoustic frequencies range from around 100 Hz for 50-MHz radars up to 2 kHz for radars operating around 1 GHz. Because acoustic attenuation in the atmosphere is strongly dependent on frequency, the height coverage or reach of RASS varies greatly with radar frequency. Typical small UHF boundary layer radars can measure RASS temperature profiles to about 1.5 km, whereas large VHF MST radars can measure the temperature up to 10 km or higher.
See also electromagnetic acoustic probe.
See also electromagnetic acoustic probe.
Copyright 2022 American Meteorological Society (AMS). For permission to reuse any portion of this work, please contact permissions@ametsoc.org. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be “fair use” under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 U.S. Code § 107) or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S.Copyright Act (17 USC § 108) does not require AMS’s permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form, such as on a website or in a searchable database, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, require written permission or a license from AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy statement.
