Rapid Update, Flexible, and Advanced Scanning Concepts Demonstrated by the NSSL Advanced Technology Demonstrator Phased Array Radar in CY24

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) has an extensive history of being a leader in weather radar research. Phased array radar (PAR) for weather observation has been studied at NSSL since the early 2000s. In the mid-2010s, NSSL acquired the dual-polarization Advanced Technology Demonstrator (ATD) PAR to examine the feasibility of dual-polarization remote sensing measurements with a planar PAR antenna. In the early 2020s, a robust dual-polarization weather calibration was achieved on the ATD. This achievement has enabled the use of the ATD to demonstrate the operational possibilities of dual-polarization PAR. This is important as the National Weather Service (NWS) considers its next operational radar fleet to be installed in the 2035-2040 timeframe.