Publications
A microburst prediction algorithm for the FAA Integrated Terminal Weather System
April 4, 1994
Conference Paper
Published in:
SPIE, Vol. 2220, Sensing, Imaging, and Vision for Control and Guidance of Aerospace Vehicles, 4-5 April 1994, pp. 194-204.
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Summary
Lincoln Laboratory is developing a prototype of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) to provide improved aviation weather information in the terminal area by integrating data and products from various FAA and National Weather Service (NWS) sensors and weather information systems. The ITWS Microburst Prediction product is intended to provide and additional margin of safety for pilots in avoiding microburst wind shear hazards (Fig. 1). The product is envisioned for use by traffic managers, supervisors, controllers, and pilots (directly via datalink). Our objective is to accurately predict the onset of microburst wind shear several minutes in advance. The approach we have chosen in developing the ITWS Microburst Prediction algorithm emphasizes fundamental physical principles of thunderstorm evolution and downdraft development, incorporating heuristic and/or statistical methods as needed for refinement. Image processing and data fusion techniques are used to produce an "interest" image (Delanoy etal., 1991, 1992) that reveals developing downdrafts. We use Doppler radar data to identify regions of growing thunderstorms and probable regions of downdraft, and combine these with measures of the ambient temperature structure (height of the freezing level, lapse rate in the lower atmosphere; Wolfson 1990), total lightning flash rate, and storm motion to predict the microburst location, timing, and outflow strength. There is also a simple feedback system based on the results of the Microburst Detection algorithm that desensitizes prediction thresholds if false predictions are being reported. The following slides describe the preliminary ITWS Microburst Prediction algorithm design, and show examples of feature detector, and the algorithm output on one test case. Results from off-line testing on 17 days of data from Orlando are also presented.
Summary
Lincoln Laboratory is developing a prototype of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) to provide improved aviation weather information in the terminal area by integrating data and products from various FAA and National Weather Service (NWS) sensors and weather information systems. The ITWS Microburst Prediction product...
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Machine intelligent approach to automated gust front detection for Doppler weather radars
April 4, 1994
Conference Paper
Published in:
SPIE, Vol. 2220, Sensing, Imaging, and Vision for Control and Guidance of Aerospace Vehicles, 4-5 April 1994, pp. 182-193.
Summary
Automated gust front detection is an important component of the Airport Surveillance Radar with Wind Shear Processor (ASR-9 WSP) and Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) systems being developed for airport terminal areas. Gust fronts produce signatures in Doppler radar imagery which are often weak, ambiguous, or conditional, making detection and continuous tracking of gust fronts challenging. Previous algorithms designed for these systems have provided only modest performance when compared against human observations. A Machine Intelligent Gust Front Algorithm (MIGFA) has been developed that makes use of two new techniques of knowledge-based signal processing originally developed in the context of automatic target recognition. The first of these, functional template correlation (FTC), is a generalized matched filter incorporating aspects of fuzzy set theory. The second technique is the use of "interest" as a medium for pixel-level data fusion. MIGFA was first developed for the ASR-9 WSP system. Its design and performance have been documented in a number of earlier reports. This paper focuses on the more recently developed TDWR MIGFA, describing the signal-processing techniques used and general algorithm design. A quantitative performance analysis using data collected during recent real-time testing of the TDWR MIGFA in Orlando, Florida is also presented. Results show that MIGFA substantially outperforms the gust front detection algorithm used in current TDWR systems.
Summary
Automated gust front detection is an important component of the Airport Surveillance Radar with Wind Shear Processor (ASR-9 WSP) and Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) systems being developed for airport terminal areas. Gust fronts produce signatures in Doppler radar imagery which are often weak, ambiguous, or conditional, making detection and...
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Low altitude wind shear detection using airport surveillance radars
March 29, 1994
Conference Paper
Published in:
Proc. 1994 IEEE Natl. Radar Conf., 29-31 March 1994, pp. 52-57.
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This paper describes an enhanced weather processor for the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR-9) that will include Doppler wind estimation for the detection of low altitude wind shear, scan-to-scan tracking to provide estimates of the speed and direction of storm movement and suppression' of spurious weather reports currently generated by the ASR-9's six-level weather channel during episodes of anomalous radar energy propagation (AP). This ASR-9 Wind Shear Processor (WSP) will be implemented as a retrofit to the ASR-9 through the addition of interfaces, receiving chain hardware and high-speed digital processing and display equipment. Thunderstorm activity in terminal airspace (the volume extending approximately 30 nmi from an airport and to 15,000 feet altitude) is an obvious safety issue and makes a significant overall contribution to delay in the United States commercial aviation industry. Analysis and on-line testing of the prototype ASR-9 WSP has confirmed that the system can provide operationally beneficial detection of low-altitude wind shear phenomena and enhanced weather situational awareness for Air Traffic Control teams.
Summary
This paper describes an enhanced weather processor for the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR-9) that will include Doppler wind estimation for the detection of low altitude wind shear, scan-to-scan tracking to provide estimates of the speed and direction of storm movement and suppression' of spurious weather reports currently...
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Variable-PRI processing for meteorologic Doppler radars
March 29, 1994
Conference Paper
Published in:
1994 IEEE Natl. Radar Conf., 29-31 March 1994, pp. 85-90.
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Summary
In this communication we described how, with nonuniform sampling, the concept of bandlimited extrapolation can be used to obtain unambiguous Doppler velocity estimates in the supra-Nyquist region. The proposed method coherently processes a multi-PRI sample using a generalized form of periodogram analysis. The work is described in the context of meteorologic Doppler processing and includes a discussion of effective suppression for stationary ground clutter when multi-PRI schemes are used.
Summary
In this communication we described how, with nonuniform sampling, the concept of bandlimited extrapolation can be used to obtain unambiguous Doppler velocity estimates in the supra-Nyquist region. The proposed method coherently processes a multi-PRI sample using a generalized form of periodogram analysis. The work is described in the context of...
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Extrapolating storm location using the Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) storm motion algorithm
March 29, 1994
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-208
Summary
Storm Motion (SM) is a planned Initial Operational Capability (IOC) algorithm of the FAA's Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS). As currently designed, this algorithm will track the movement of storms/cells and convey this tracking information to the ITWS user by means of a graphic display of vectors (for direction) with accompanying numeric reports of storm speed, rounded to the nearest 5 nmi/hr increment. Recognizing that there are occasions when ITWS users could benefit from a more extended product format, Storm Extrapolated Position (SEP) was conceived to supplement the SM product and thereby increase the latter's accessibility as a planning aid. This communication describes a prototype SEP design along with an analysis of its accuracy and observed performance during 1993 ITWS demnstrations in Orlando (FL) and Dallas (TX).
Summary
Storm Motion (SM) is a planned Initial Operational Capability (IOC) algorithm of the FAA's Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS). As currently designed, this algorithm will track the movement of storms/cells and convey this tracking information to the ITWS user by means of a graphic display of vectors (for direction) with...
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Terminal Weather Message Demonstration at Orlando, FL, Summer 1993
March 4, 1994
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-210
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A successful demonstration of providing a text-based message via VHF data link (ACARS) was carried out at Orlando, FL during the summer of 1993. Five airlines participated in the three-month demonstration, which included an average of 145 Terminal Weather message requests per day. During a heavily-impacted weather day, a total of 220 Terminal Weather requests were made. The format of the Terminal Weather message was developed by an ad hoc committee of pilots, dispatchers, controllers and researchers. The format required a balance between the need for including important information and the need to fit the information into a limited number of characters. The approach was to divide the message into several blocks and to prioritize the potential message elements by importance and immediacy. The most important and timely elements are listed first, and the others appear only if more important elements are not present or else were deleted altogether. Pilot reaction to the demonstration was assessed from questionnaire responses. Overall, pilots thought that the system should be deployed operationally and found that it increased situational awareness. They felt that it provided some help in decision making and did not adversely affect cockpit workload. They also strongly endorsed the need for a graphical version of the Terminal Weather service. Controllers were initially concerned that the data link demonstration would result in increased radio traffic and concomitant controller workload. Prior to the demonstration, changes were made in the Terminal Weather message format to help allay these concerns. Consequently, controllers were surprosed to find that requests for weather information actually decreases over what they normally would expect during a period of heavy weather impact. Thus, evidence was obtained that delivery of Terminal Weather information by data link could decrease controller workload. Dispatchers took a strong and unanticipated interest in the Terminal Weather message. The dispatchers for one airline used the Terminal Weather message to monitor weather conditions at Orlando during a period of heavy weather impact. Special messages also were sent to dispatchers to alert them when wind shear or microburst hazards initially impacted the Orlando airport. Additional demonstration of the Terminal Weather message service are planned for the summer of 1994 at Memphis, TN and Orlando, FL. Results of hte summer 1993 demonstration are being used to make improvements to the message content. A demonstration of a grpahical version of the Terminal Weather message is also planned.
Summary
A successful demonstration of providing a text-based message via VHF data link (ACARS) was carried out at Orlando, FL during the summer of 1993. Five airlines participated in the three-month demonstration, which included an average of 145 Terminal Weather message requests per day. During a heavily-impacted weather day, a total...
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Assessment of the weather detection capability of an Airport Surveillance Radar with solid-state transmitter
February 24, 1994
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-209
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration may acquire a new Airport Surveillance Radar-ASR-11-to replace aging ASR-7s and ASR-8s with a digital terminal radar consistent with Advanced Automation System requirements. A survey of the radar manufacturing industry suggests that a solid-state transmitter will likely be a component of this radar. The ASR-11 will feature a digital weather processing channel to measure and display six calibrated levels of precipitation reflectivity. An additional weather surveillance goal is the capability to support detection of low altitude wind shear phenomena. Use of a low peak power, solid-state transmitter and associated pulse compression technology raises several issues with respect to the capability of ASR-11 to meet these weather measurement objectives: 1. ASR-11 sensitivity will be degraded by approximately 16 to 20 dB relative to the Klystron-based ASR-9 at short range. This results because it is not feasible to use pulse compression waveforms to compensate for low peak transmitter power at short range; 2. Stability of a solid state ASR-11 transmitter may significantly exceed that of previous vacuum tube ASR transmitters. Increased clutter suppression capability associated with this enhanced stability could partially offset the reduced sensitivity of ASR-11 in meeting weather detection goals; 3. Pulse compression range sidelobes may resilt in "ghost" images of actual weather features, displaced in range by as much as 10 km. In some circumstances, these could result in false indications of operationally significant weather features such as thunderstorm-induced gust fronts. We examine these issues through straightforward analyses and simulation. Our assessment depends heavily on Doppler weather radar measurements of thunderstorms and associated wind shear phenomena obtained with Lincoln Laboratory's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar and ASR-9 testbeds. Overall, our assessment indicates that a solid-state transmitter ASR-11 can provide six-level weather reflectivity data with accuracy comparable to that of the ASR-9. Detection of low altitude wind shear phenomena using a solid-state transmitter ASR is more problematic. Reduced sensitivity at short range--the range interval of primary operational concern for an on-airport ASR--results in significant degradation of its capability to measure the reflectivity and Doppler velocity signatures associated with gust fronts and "dry" microbursts. This degradation is not offset by the enhanced clutter suppression capability provided by a solid-state transmitter. Although pulse compression range sidelobes do not appear to be a major issue if they are held to the -55 dB level, simulations are presented where range sidelobes result in a false gust front wind shear signature.
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration may acquire a new Airport Surveillance Radar-ASR-11-to replace aging ASR-7s and ASR-8s with a digital terminal radar consistent with Advanced Automation System requirements. A survey of the radar manufacturing industry suggests that a solid-state transmitter will likely be a component of this radar. The ASR-11 will...
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ASR-9 Microburst Detection Algorithm
October 22, 1993
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-197
Summary
The ASR-9 Wind Shear Processor (WSP) is intended as an economical alternative for those airports that have not been slated to receive a Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) but have, or will be receiving, an ASR-9 radar. Lincoln Laboratory has developed a prototype ASR-9 WSP system which has been demonstrated during the summer months of the past three year in Orlando, Florida. During the operational test period, microburst and gust front warnings, as well as storm motion indications, were provided to the Air Traffic Control in real time. The ASR-9 Microburst Detection Algorithm (AMDA) is based on the earlier TDWR Microburst Detection Algorithm but has been substantially modified to match better the particular strengths and weaknesses of the ASR-9 rapid-scanning fan-beam radar. The most significant additions included a capability to detect overhead microbursts, a reflectivity processing step used to help detect velocity signatures that have been biased by overhanging precipitation, and a modification to some of the shear segment grouping and thresholding parameters to accommodate better the typical on-air siting of the ASR-9. In addition, the AMDA has been designed to be as efficient as possible to allow it to run at the radar's 4.8 seconds/scan antennas rotation rate on a single-board computer. A detailed description of AMDA, as well as the performance evaluation strategy and results, are presented in this report.
Summary
The ASR-9 Wind Shear Processor (WSP) is intended as an economical alternative for those airports that have not been slated to receive a Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) but have, or will be receiving, an ASR-9 radar. Lincoln Laboratory has developed a prototype ASR-9 WSP system which has been demonstrated...
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The gust-front detection and wind-shift algorithms for the Terminal Doppler weather radar system
October 1, 1993
Journal Article
Published in:
J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., Vol. 10, October 1993, pp. 693-709.
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The Federal Aviation Administration's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) system was primarily designed to address the operational needs of pilots in the avoidance of low-altitude wind shears upon takeoff and landing at airports. One of the primary methods of wind-shear detection for the TDWR system is the gust-front detection algorithm. The algorithm is designed to detect gust fronts that produce a wind-shear hazard and/or sustained wind shifts. It serves the hazard warning function by providing an estimate of the wind-speed gain for aircraft penetrating the gust front. The gust-front detection and wind-shift algorithms together serve a planning function by providing forecasted gust-front locations and estimates of the horizontal wind vector behind the front, respectively. This information is used by air traffic managers to determine arrival and departure runway configurations and aircraft movements to minimize the impact of wind shifts on airport capacity. This paper describes the gust-front detection and wind-shift algorithms to be fielded in the initial TDWR systems. Results of a quantitative performance evaluation using Doppler radar data collected during TDWR operational demonstrations at the Denver, Kansas City, and Orlando airports are presented. The algorithms were found to be operationally useful by the FAA airport controllers and supervisors.
Summary
The Federal Aviation Administration's Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (TDWR) system was primarily designed to address the operational needs of pilots in the avoidance of low-altitude wind shears upon takeoff and landing at airports. One of the primary methods of wind-shear detection for the TDWR system is the gust-front detection algorithm...
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Estimation of wake vortex advection and decay using meteorological sensors and aircraft data
September 28, 1993
Project Report
Published in:
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Report ATC-201
Summary
The lift-generated wake vortices trailing behind an aircraft present a danger to aircraft following the same or nearby path. The degree of hazard to the following aircraft depends on the nature of the wake encountered in its flight path and on the ability of the aircraft to counter its effects. This report describes the current state of understanding of the factors that influence the motion and dissipation of wake vortices. The relationships of these factors to parameters that are measurable through meteorological sensors and from a priori knowledge of the vortex generating aircraft characteristics are discussed as an aid to structuring development plans for the creation of wake vortex advisory products by the Integrated Terminal Weather System (ITWS) and by special wake vortex sensors.
Summary
The lift-generated wake vortices trailing behind an aircraft present a danger to aircraft following the same or nearby path. The degree of hazard to the following aircraft depends on the nature of the wake encountered in its flight path and on the ability of the aircraft to counter its effects...
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