Title of Presentation: Development of the High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP)

Primary (Corresponding) Author: Gerald Heymsfield

Organization of Primary Author: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Co-Authors: James Carswell, Lihua Li, Daniel Schaubert and Justin Creticos

Abstract: A dual-wavelength (Ku and Ka band) High-Altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP) is under development for measuring tropospheric winds within precipitation regions and ocean surface winds in rain-free to light rain regions. This instrument is being designed for operation on high-altitude manned aircraft and the Global Hawk UAV. Proposed lidar-based systems provide measurements in cloud-free regions globally. Since many of the weather systems are in disturbed regions that contain precipitation and clouds, microwave based techniques are more suitable in these regions. Airborne radars at NASA and elsewhere have shown the ability to measure winds in precipitation and clouds. These radars have not generally been suitable for deriving the full horizontal wind from above cloud systems (high-altitude or space) that would require conical scan.

HIWRAP is conical scan radar that uses new technologies that utilize solid state rather than tube based transmitters. The presentation will discuss the motivation for the instrument, key system level technologies, status, and planned flight testing of the prototype sensor on the high-altitude WB-57 aircraft to demonstrate the system level performance of the instrument.