PFI:AIR - TT: Improving Performance and Reducing Costs for Phased Array Weather Radar

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a technique to correct polarization errors in phased-array antennas enabling their use in dual polarization weather radar applications. The Interleaved Sparse Array (ISA) technique is important because it augments the enhanced scanning capabilities of phased-array radar and may lead to cheaper and smaller weather radars with appropriate accuracy in places where traditional weather radars are cost- and space-prohibitive. This can lead to the preservation of human life, better management of agriculture, and better preparedness for weather-related events. The project will result in a proof-of-concept demonstration of the ISA technique that will enable dual-polarization phased-array weather radars to achieve necessary polarization purity for weather and hydrological applications in a cost-effective manner. In phased-array antennas, each element of the array not only radiates its requested polarization, but also emits an unwanted cross-polarized signal. The ISA technique is a correction that is applied after manufacturing and switches the polarization of some of the antenna elements in order to cancel the cross-polarized signal of the remainder of the array, or to adjust the overall radiated polarization. To do so, the antenna elements need to be characterized to determine the number and position of the elements to be switched. This project addresses how to cost effectively characterize the antenna elements and how to evaluate the resulting performance so that ISA may be applied to commercial products. In addition to the technical work, personnel involved in this project, including a postdoctoral student, will conduct literature and patent searches related to prior art, work with the university technology office on protecting any intellectual property generated, develop marketing collateral, and work with industrial collaborators and other potential licensees on identifying first adopters of the technology for prototype demonstrations.