A systematic algorithm for obtaining SODAR wind profiles

Bradley, SG; von Hünerbein, S

Abstract

Current methods of obtaining wind profiles from SODARs generally employ ad hoc strategies for Doppler spectrum peak selection, profile smoothing, and consistency checks. This paper addresses the problem of systematically obtaining vertical profiles of wind vectors from a SODAR. A new approach is to regard every spectrum frequency as a possible estimator of the radial wind component, but to weight these Doppler estimates according to the spectral power at each frequency. This allows the peak detection,
smoothing, and assimilation of a priori information to be combined into a constrained linear inversion methodology. The inversion process also allows an estimation of signal to noise ratio, degrees of freedom, and information content versus height. Examples are given of profiles obtained using this new inverse method. The relationship to the physical
limitations of the SODAR instrument and the atmosphere is discussed.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Deposit Date: Aug 19, 2010
• Journal: Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics
• Print ISSN: 0177-7971
• Electronic ISSN: 1436-5065
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 85
• Issue: 1-3
• Pages: 77-84
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00703-003-0035-x
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00703-003-0035-x