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A comparison of tropospheric VHF Doppler beam steering and full correlation analysis measurements of aspect sensitivity
Author(s) -
Hobbs Bridget G.,
Reid Iain M.,
Holdsworth David A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/2000rs002360
Subject(s) - doppler effect , zenith , beam (structure) , sensitivity (control systems) , isotropy , antenna (radio) , radar , optics , beam steering , physics , acoustics , geology , computer science , engineering , telecommunications , electronic engineering , astronomy
Tropospheric VHF radar data collected using both spaced antenna (SA) and Doppler beam steering (DBS) methods are presented. The SA data are analyzed using full correlation analysis (FCA) on vertical beam data, while DBS analysis is applied to vertical beam data and off‐zenith beam data at 3.6°, 7.2°, and 10.8°. A comparison of meridional velocities using SA FCA and DBS analysis is presented. These results indicate good agreement between the DBS and FCA velocities on all off‐zenith beams, particularly at 10.8°. The main aim of the study is to compare the aspect sensitivity parameter θ s ,using the spatial correlation method for the FCA data [e.g., Lesicar and Hocking, 1992] and the power method of Hocking et al. [1986] for the DBS data. This comparison reveals good general agreement between isotropic values of θ s with both methods, and aspect sensitive values of θ s values with both methods, although there are times when one method produces isotropic values and the other produces aspect sensitive values and visa versa. During aspect sensitive periods the FCA values agree best with the DBS method using the 0.0°–3.6° beam combination.