Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

Long range present day weather radars, whose color images are often seen on television, provide forecasters with information concerning incoming or developing storms. Accurate forecasting is essential to increase our preparedness and reduce the costs of such severe weather. Existing systems do not make good measurements close to the surface because weak weather echoes are hard to pick up when they compete with strong echoes from ground and the earth curvature bring the radar beam well above ground at ranges beyond 60 km. Obtaining better information calls for denser radar networks as well as a new radar technology, known as electronic beam steerable antenna systems. These systems are currently too expensive to be used for weather applications. In this project, we want to explore the possibilities to design relatively low-cost radars based on such antennas, by using clever simplifications to their design. The partnership between engineering and meteorological expertise allows for a design in which technological characteristics are tailored to users. They key component of the radar is an antenna capable of scanning rapidly and accurately a very narrow beam over a sector of 360° in azimuth and 30° in elevation. The objective is to achieve this with a purely electronic steering mechanism, but hybrid electronic/mechanical solutions will also be examined. A variety of concepts including combinations of reflectors, direct radiating arrays, reflectarrays and transmit arrays will be studied. Antenna's phase controlled radiating elements based on MEMS and diodes will be designed in order to allow experimental investigation of the most critical design aspects and predict performance. In parallel, control algorithms and their digital hardware implementations will be developed in order to perform beam calibration and real-time steering. The project is supported by industry partners active in radars and in high-gain antenna design.