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Wind Variations along a Glide Path

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2010

K. A. Browning
Affiliation:
(Meteorological Research Unit, Royal Radar Establishment)

Extract

A method of measuring wind variations along an aircraft glide path is described. The technique uses a ground-based pulsed doppler radar to measure the line of sight velocity of precipitation particles. At low angles of elevation this velocity is that of die horizontal wind component toward the radar.

Wind variations likely to be encountered by an aircraft as it lands or takes off from an airfield are estimated almost invariably from a nearby anemometer placed 10 m. above the ground. It is obvious that this wind is not fully representative of conditions at higher levels; however, winds other than near the ground are difficult to measure. This note describes a method of measuring the line of sight wind using a pulsed doppler radar and presents some observations of the wind variation along a path at an elevation of 3°, which is typical of the glide path of many aircraft. These winds are compared with those recorded by a nearby anemometer.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Institute of Navigation 1968

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References

REFERENCES

Boyenval, E. H. (1960). Echoes from precipitation using pulsed doppler radar. Proc. 8th Weather Radar Conf., Amer. Met. Soc, Boston, 56.Google Scholar
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Stackpole, J. P. (1961). The effectiveness of raindrops as turbulence sensors. Proc. 9th Weather Radar Conf., Am. Meteorol. Soc., Boston, 212–17.Google Scholar