User manual VAISALA IRIS DATASHEET

[. . . ] Automatic operational mode switching in response to changing weather conditions. Comprehensive suite of output products based on volume scanning and single sweep. Composite for networked radars into selectable projections and "virtual" radar sites. Efficient client-server network communications and scalable data communications with data compression. [. . . ] ANTENNA provides completely independent radar and antenna control or sun tracking. The ASCOPE utility is Vaisala's acclaimed signal processor support utility that provides complete control and plotting for all signal processor parameters. Advanced features include FFT, random phase and data recording and playback of any data- even I and Q. Signal simulator provides the ability to test signal processor configurations and algorithms on "real-world" signals. Analysis Radar process The radar process provides flexibility for configuring and optimizing complex automatic scanning and signal processing strategies. A mix of TASKS are defined for an active scan. Networked real time display provides instant feedback on the progress of a scan. You can create and save an unlimited number of schedules for different automatic operational modes. The scanning schedule can even be switched automatically in response to changing weather. This is particularly useful for air terminal wind shear detection. Product generation The ingest files generated by the radar process are the starting point for the product generator. IRISTM has the most comprehensive suite of products available in the industry today (see product summary page). The product configuration and product scheduler menus give operators full control over the details of the product generation and the mix of products for each operational mode. All products are made in the original polar coordinates of the radar data with correction for earth curvature and full interpolation. Resolution and map projection are selectable. Display IRISTM supports automatic or interactive output to a variety of devices. The Quick Look Window, which is a 4th generation graphical user inter-face design, is forecastertested and proven to be easy-to-use with minimal training. Features such as geographic cursor, home points, interactive cross-section, forecast projection and track/annotation make the Quick Look Window a powerful tool for forecasters and analysts. What's more, the Quick Look Window can be exported over the network to any workstation that is running Xeven PC's running Windows or NT. IRISTM supports archive/playback on DAT, DVD, as well as multi-GB hard disk archive. System managers can take advantage of output to other networked systems in a variety of formats including IRISTM Native, JPEG, GIF, TIF, BMP and PostScript. Color postScript printers are supported. These formats make it easy to have automatic updates for web pages or other external applications. The IRISnet Network management tool lets you see at a glance the status of all radar & display systems. Operators can travel the network with a few clicks of their mouse. IRIS configuration Technical data IRISTM Products (ø Full Set / BaSic Set) BeaM ø RHi ø Display of dBZ, V or W in AZ/EL space. Useful for beam pattern measurement. FcaSt ø Range-height indicator for "nodding" antenna scanning. Rti ø Range-time indicator. uSeR ø Array of displacement and intensity change vectors used for projecting echoes forward in time in the Quick Look Window. PPi ø An arbitrary format product that is created outside of IRISTM. [. . . ] Output is for a selected reference height or follows digital terrain map. tOPS ø Satellite underlays imported as USER products. Currently Vaisala supports MCIDAS format images. HYDROclaSS Height of a selectable dBZ contour. Vil ø Hydrometeor particle identification and non-meteorological data classification using the measurands of a dual-polarized radar. iRiS/liGHtinG Vertically integrated liquid (or layer average reflectivity) for a selectable top and bottom layer and Z-W relationship. VVP ø Velocity volume processing wind profile including, wind speed, direction, divergence, deformation, axis of dilatation, particle vertical velocities and reflectivity versus height. Display is either time-height cross-section or graphs. winD ø Real-time ingesting and display of UALF flash lightning data with polarity, cloud-to-cloud, cloud-to-ground, and peak current information. The lighting information can be overlaid with other IRIS products within the IRISTM Quick Look Window. Based on the uniform wind assumption and the VVP this product , shows estimated winds for a selected layer of the atmosphere. [. . . ]