Radian Corporation

K Russell Peterman

Michael Smith

Charles Riese

Michael J Smith

A system of atmospheric remote sensing instruments that utilize a common phased-array acoustic antenna so as to take temperature and wind measurements over a wide range of altitudes. One of the atmospheric remote sensing instruments in the system is a monostatic SODAR that takes wind measurements by transmitting pulses of acoustic energy into the atmosphere and then measuring received reflected acoustic energy. The acoustic pulses are both transmitted and received by the common phased-array acoustic antenna. Another of the atmospheric remote sensing instruments in the system is a wind profiling radar that takes wind measurements by transmitting pulses of electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere and then measuring received backscattered electromagnetic energy. The pulses of electromagnetic energy are both transmitted and received by a phased-array radar antenna. The final atmospheric remote sensing instrument in the system is a RASS that takes temperature measurements by first transmitting acoustic energy into the atmosphere and then transmitting pulses of electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere. The acoustic energy is used as a target for the pulses of electromagnetic energy, and the resulting backscatter is received and measured. The acoustic energy is transmitted by the common phased-array acoustic antenna, while the pulses of electromagnetic energy are both transmitted and received by the phased-array radar antenna. It is within the province of the invention to combine the acoustic antenna and the radar antenna into a single entity.

Atmospheric remote sensing instrument system

A sound detection and ranging (SODAR) system for taking wind measurements by sending out acoustic pulses and then measuring acoustic energy reflected back to the instrument by the atmosphere. The acoustic pulses are formed using digital beamforming technology which allows the acoustic pulses to be steered independent of frequency due to a time delay design. Also, the present invention SODAR instrument allows wideband capability that is limited only by the dimensions of the antenna array. Furthermore, the present invention SODAR instrument allows the acoustic pulses to be variably steered and allows multiple acoustic beams to be simultaneously received.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

K Russell Peterman