Profiling Radiometer for Atmospheric and Cloud Observations PRACO

Transcription

1 Profiling Radiometer for Atmospheric and Cloud Observations PRACO

2 Boulder Environmental Sciences and Technology BEST Small startup company, established in 2006 Focused on radiometry ground based and airborne radiometry is still in very nascent stage Focus on radiometric technology improvements mainly: User friendly products Improved performance Increased reliability Higher level of integration Minimal power consumption Minimal mass and volume

3 Capabilities Competency in all aspects of radiometry Airborne, ground based, or buoy based instruments Design of integrated receivers Design and optimization of passive components, such as antennas, OMTs, transitions, filters, power dividers & combiners, hybrids, etc. Microwave filters design Microwave Monolithic Integrated Chip level assembly

4 18 mm Capabilities: MMIC level assembly Waveguide Bonding wires WG to µstrip transition MMIC chips 5 mm µstrip line Feedthroughs Waveguide 26 mm

5 Current and planned work on airborne radiometers LUR - Lightweight Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Radiometer Development for the Korea Meteorological Administration Three radiometric bands: around 20 GHz, 37 GHz dual polarization, and 50 GHz Very strict limits on power, weight, size Extreme operating environmental conditions Two axes of motion: elevation and azimuth MRAS - Microwave Radiometer for Aviation Safety A Navy SBIR Phase I project Development of a small, lightweight, low power consuming remote sensor for aircraft icing hazard avoidance UAV radiometer for cloud research Working on an application for the UAV radiometer for cloud research under the DoE SBIR 2015 Seeking funding for a Buoy based radiometer

6 PRACO performance characteristics Remote sensor for atmospheric and cloud research Ideal complement for operations with clouds in situ probes Sampling in the plane perpendicular to the line of flight

7 Ambient Sensors, T, P, H PRACO performance characteristics Aircraft Attachment Mechanical, Electrical GPS Antenna 183 GHz Radiometer 118 GHz Radiometer GHz Radiometer GHz Radiometer Stationary Scanning Length: 294 mm (11.6 ) Wing leading Length: 388 mm (15.3 ) edge Overall length: 682 mm (27.9 ), diameter 102mm (4 )

8 PRACO performance characteristics Radiometers resolution is estimated for the integration time of 1 second

9 PRACO performance characteristics PRACO overall mass Power Component Mass (g) Watt Nose cone GHz radiometer GHz radiometer GHz radiometer GHz radiometer Total scanning part 2, Total stationary part 3, Total for the PRACO 5,514 g ~110 W

10 Retrievals: Discussion of how sensor(s) can support science objectives Temperature and water vapor profiles Integrated water vapor and integrated cloud liquid Water and ice cloud particles discrimination Mean cloud particle size estimate

11 Discussion of how sensor(s) can support science objectives PRACO is design and build specifically for atmospheric and clouds observations from an aircraft The selected scanning mode is to sample atmosphere around the aircraft flight line, covering maximum volume PRACO s radiometers cover all significant microwave absorption lines and windows between 20 and 200 GHz, wavelengths from 13.5 to 1.6 mm PRACO is modular instrument, can be easily modified for a specific mission Additional radiometer units, operating at different frequencies can be developed as scientific goals requires

12 Feasibility for routine operations on NSF aircraft, including size/weight of sensor, complexity of integration, operational support requirements, calibration and maintenance procedures, data processing methods Very simple integration: The same mechanical attachment to airplane as clouds probes Requires only power (~110 Watts) to operate Ethernet connectivity available, but PRACO can operate without it Memory storage within the PRACO can easily handle over 12 hours flight Contains its own inertial navigational system and GPS Redundant ambient variables measurement: 12 x Temperature, 6x pressure, 6x humidity Modular assembly, can be altered for a specific mission Operational support requirements Calibration and maintenance procedures Data processing methods

13 Estimated cost of initial acquisition; ongoing costs for maintenance Initial acquisition cost: approximately $500k - it depends on number of units ordered Ongoing cost of maintenance How to estimate it? (what maintenance will be required, how many missions will be flown, how many instruments, support during missions, etc.)

14 Saturday, February 16, 1991 All weather personal stereo AM/FM clock radio In-Ear Stereo Phones Microthin calculator Tandy 1000 TL/3, computer system, 20MB storage space! VHS Camcorder Mobile Cellular Telephone 20-Memory Speed-Dial phone Deluxe Portable CD Player - 80 minutes of music 10-Channel Desktop Scanner Easiest-to-Use Phone Answerer Handheld Cassette Tape Recorder Cost of the above: $

15 Microwave radiometer

16 Microwave radiometer Biggest reason for the technological difference is the level of investments Market size is small Operational conditions of the airborne radiometers are extremely challenging Technological challenges can be overcome

17 Thank you for your attention!

18 Questions?

19