A description of the CSU-CHILL National Radar Facility

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the Colorado State University-University of Chicago-Illinois State Water Survey (CSU-CHILL) National Radar Facility's S-band polarimetric research radar. Key features of this system include polarization agility (provided by the dual-transmitter, dual-receiver design), a recently updated signal processor, and a low (-34 dB, two way) integrated cross-polar ratio (ICPR2) antenna system. After reviewing the technical description of the radar, the authors present a new differential reflectivity (ZDR) calibration technique and data examples collected in different polarization modes. Although the CSU-CHILL radar is transportable, it can also be operated in a dual-Doppler configuration with the CSU-Pawnee radar, an 11-cm Doppler radar system situated 48 km north of the CSU-CHILL Greeley field site. Used together, these radars provide three-dimensional kinematic and hydrometeor information in precipitating cloud systems.