Coded continuous wave meteor radar

The concept of a coded continuous wave specular meteor radar (SMR) is described. The radar uses a continuously transmitted pseudorandom phase-modulated waveform, which has several advantages compared to conventional pulsed SMRs. The coding avoids range and Doppler aliasing, which are in some cases p...

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Main Authors: J. Vierinen, J. L. Chau, N. Pfeffer, M. Clahsen, G. Stober
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2016-03-01
Series:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Online Access:http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/9/829/2016/amt-9-829-2016.pdf
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author J. Vierinen
J. L. Chau
N. Pfeffer
M. Clahsen
G. Stober
author_facet J. Vierinen
J. L. Chau
N. Pfeffer
M. Clahsen
G. Stober
author_sort J. Vierinen
collection DOAJ
description The concept of a coded continuous wave specular meteor radar (SMR) is described. The radar uses a continuously transmitted pseudorandom phase-modulated waveform, which has several advantages compared to conventional pulsed SMRs. The coding avoids range and Doppler aliasing, which are in some cases problematic with pulsed radars. Continuous transmissions maximize pulse compression gain, allowing operation at lower peak power than a pulsed system. With continuous coding, the temporal and spectral resolution are not dependent on the transmit waveform and they can be fairly flexibly changed after performing a measurement. The low signal-to-noise ratio before pulse compression, combined with independent pseudorandom transmit waveforms, allows multiple geographically separated transmitters to be used in the same frequency band simultaneously without significantly interfering with each other. Because the same frequency band can be used by multiple transmitters, the same interferometric receiver antennas can be used to receive multiple transmitters at the same time. The principles of the signal processing are discussed, in addition to discussion of several practical ways to increase computation speed, and how to optimally detect meteor echoes. Measurements from a campaign performed with a coded continuous wave SMR are shown and compared with two standard pulsed SMR measurements. The type of meteor radar described in this paper would be suited for use in a large-scale multi-static network of meteor radar transmitters and receivers. Such a system would be useful for increasing the number of meteor detections to obtain improved meteor radar data products.
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spelling doaj.art-307f4fa6ad42498aa27a1ecaf8390b092022-12-21T19:00:10ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482016-03-019282983910.5194/amt-9-829-2016Coded continuous wave meteor radarJ. Vierinen0J. L. Chau1N. Pfeffer2M. Clahsen3G. Stober4MIT Haystack Observatory, Route 40 Westford, 01469 MA, USAIAP, Kühlungsborn, GermanyIAP, Kühlungsborn, GermanyIAP, Kühlungsborn, GermanyIAP, Kühlungsborn, GermanyThe concept of a coded continuous wave specular meteor radar (SMR) is described. The radar uses a continuously transmitted pseudorandom phase-modulated waveform, which has several advantages compared to conventional pulsed SMRs. The coding avoids range and Doppler aliasing, which are in some cases problematic with pulsed radars. Continuous transmissions maximize pulse compression gain, allowing operation at lower peak power than a pulsed system. With continuous coding, the temporal and spectral resolution are not dependent on the transmit waveform and they can be fairly flexibly changed after performing a measurement. The low signal-to-noise ratio before pulse compression, combined with independent pseudorandom transmit waveforms, allows multiple geographically separated transmitters to be used in the same frequency band simultaneously without significantly interfering with each other. Because the same frequency band can be used by multiple transmitters, the same interferometric receiver antennas can be used to receive multiple transmitters at the same time. The principles of the signal processing are discussed, in addition to discussion of several practical ways to increase computation speed, and how to optimally detect meteor echoes. Measurements from a campaign performed with a coded continuous wave SMR are shown and compared with two standard pulsed SMR measurements. The type of meteor radar described in this paper would be suited for use in a large-scale multi-static network of meteor radar transmitters and receivers. Such a system would be useful for increasing the number of meteor detections to obtain improved meteor radar data products.http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/9/829/2016/amt-9-829-2016.pdf
spellingShingle J. Vierinen
J. L. Chau
N. Pfeffer
M. Clahsen
G. Stober
Coded continuous wave meteor radar
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
title Coded continuous wave meteor radar
title_full Coded continuous wave meteor radar
title_fullStr Coded continuous wave meteor radar
title_full_unstemmed Coded continuous wave meteor radar
title_short Coded continuous wave meteor radar
title_sort coded continuous wave meteor radar
url http://www.atmos-meas-tech.net/9/829/2016/amt-9-829-2016.pdf
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AT jlchau codedcontinuouswavemeteorradar
AT npfeffer codedcontinuouswavemeteorradar
AT mclahsen codedcontinuouswavemeteorradar
AT gstober codedcontinuouswavemeteorradar