Weather radar and weather observation method
A weather radar includes an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction, a transmission beam formation unit configured to divide an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles, subdivide each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions, assign a set of a plurality of regions not adjacent to each other to a pulse repetition interval (PRI), and form a fan-shaped transmission beam in the elevation angle direction for each of the regions in the set, and a reception beam formation unit configured to form a plurality pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.
1. A weather radar comprising:
an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction;
a transmission beam formation unit configured to divide an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles, subdivide each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions, assign a set of a plurality of regions not adjacent to each other to a pulse repetition interval (PRI), and form a fan-shaped transmission beam in the elevation angle direction for each of the regions in the set; and
a reception beam formation unit configured to form a plurality pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.
2. The weather radar according to claim 1 , wherein
at least one of the antenna elements is provided with a transmission module.
3. The weather radar according to claim 1 , wherein
the antenna element includes a slot antenna.
4. The weather radar according to claim 1 , wherein
the antenna elements are grouped into at least one sub-array when receiving the reflected pulse.
5. The weather radar according to claim 1 , wherein
the reception beam formation unit employs a digital beam forming (DBF) system.
6. A weather radar comprising:
an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction;
a transmission beam formation unit configured to divide an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles, subdivide each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions, assign each of transmission frequencies of radar pulses different from each other to each set of regions not adjacent to each other, and form a plurality of fan-shaped transmission beams in the plurality of regions in the elevation angle direction at pulse repetition intervals (PRIs); and
a reception beam formation unit configured to form a plurality pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.
7. The weather radar according to claim 6 , wherein
at least one of the antenna elements is provided with a transmission module.
8. The weather radar according to claim 6 , wherein
the antenna element includes a slot antenna.
9. The weather radar according to claim 6 , wherein
the antenna elements are grouped into at least one sub-array when receiving the reflected pulse.
10. The weather radar according to claim 6 , wherein
the reception beam formation unit employs a digital beam forming (DBF) system.
11. A weather observation method used for a weather radar including an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction comprising:
dividing an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles;
subdividing each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions;
assigning a set of a plurality of regions not adjacent to each other to a pulse repetition interval (PRI);
forming a fan-shaped transmission beam in the elevation angle direction for each of the regions in the set; and
forming a plurality of pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.
12. A weather observation method used for a weather radar including an antenna unit of an active phased array system in which a plurality of antenna elements configured to transmit a radar pulse and receive a reflected pulse are arranged in a vertical direction comprising:
dividing an observation range in the elevation angle direction into a plurality of observation elevation angles;
subdividing each observation elevation angle into a plurality of regions;
assigning each of transmission frequencies of radar pulses different from each other to each set of regions not adjacent to each other;
forming a plurality of fan-shaped transmission beams in the plurality of regions in the elevation angle direction at pulse repetition intervals (PRIs); and
forming a plurality pencil-shaped reception beams for each of the plurality of regions.