Optimizing Dual-Doppler Mobile Radar Deployment With an Obstacle-Aware Backup Coverage Location Model for Strategic Storm Data Collection

Details

• Journal Title:
  IEEE Transactions on Radar Systems
• Personal Author:
  Wang, Chenchun ; Feng, Xin ; Alford, A. Addison
• NOAA Program & Office:
  OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; NSSL (National Severe Storms Laboratory)
• Description:
  Reliable radar observations are essential for enhancing our comprehension and prediction of hazardous and economically significant severe weather phenomena. Mobile radars have demonstrated efficacy in enhancing the modeling and conceptual understanding of severe weather phenomena by providing high spatial and temporal resolution observations. A critical problem with mobile radar observations is finding ideal deployment locations. Despite the scientists’ experience in radar functionality and the local terrain environment, they encounter considerable challenges in selecting the appropriate location for meteorological observation. They need to account for the acquisition of extensive, usable data for rapidly changing severe weather events and guarantee the safety of operators and vehicles. A thorough understanding of the surrounding environment, including road networks, topography, vegetation, structures, and other obstacles, is crucial for the real-time deployment of mobile radar vehicles. Nonetheless, on-site assessments require substantial labor, material resources, and sufficient time with which to evaluate potential radar site locations. This article utilizes an obstacle-aware backup coverage location model to determine deployment locations for two mobile radar vehicles in a dual-Doppler configuration. We validate the model performance using the 2004 Geary tornado event in Oklahoma. The findings of the application demonstrate the effectiveness, efficiency, and flexibility of ground-based mobile radar deployment via an integrated spatial analytical framework.
• Keywords:
  Doppler Radar Radar Doppler Radar Dual-Doppler Mobile Radar Obstacle-aware Coverage Model Radar Deployment Optimization
• Source:
  IEEE Transactions on Radar Systems, vol. 4, pp. 841-854, 2026
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1109/TRS.2026.3682657
• Format:
  PDF
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Rights Information:
  Accepted Manuscript
• Compliance:
  Submitted
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2a98c1c8d41887ec8856562a60158a939bb6152f441e18bfe99cab913dc034ebedbb1ad1dfac1358c7395f1c519562f589465aba9d1adafb76ab7db7ae7ec4c8
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/73862/noaa_73862_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.97 MB ]