The CPPAR is a cylindrical polarimetric phased array that is capable
of maintaining broadside polarimetric purity at all azimuthal
pointing angles. The CPPAR was built completely by OU students,
faculty, and staff.
System Overview
The CPPAR's primary purpose is to prove the concept of a cylindrical
polarimetric phased array and demonstrate its inherent polarimetric
advantages. Since these advantages become most apparent in the
context of the polarimetric weather radar mission, the ability to
make meaningful weather measurements with the system is desired.
With limited resources, a novel system has been designed which both
can demonstrate the CPPAR concept and serve as a platform for
general phased array research in the future.
System characteristics
- 80 W peak power per column using solid state electronics
- Number of Elements: 1824
- Peak Radiated Power: 1.5 kW
- Wavelength: 10.34 cm
- Operation frequency is 2900 MHz (S-band)
- Wavelength: 10.34 cm
- Pulse Length: 1-100 µsec
- Maximum Duty Cycle: 15%
- Maximum Pulse Bandwidth: 20 MHz
- Antenna
- 3-dB Beamwidth: 4.5°-6.5°
- Polarization: Dual-Linear
- Cross-Polarization Level: < -30 dB
- Elevation Scan Range: 0-20° (2700-3100 MHz)
- Receiver
- Minimum Gate Spacing: 7.5 m
- Maximum Data Throughput: 200 Mbps per Channel
- Sensitivity
- Without Pulse Compression: 20 dBZ at 10 km
- With Pulse Compression: 20 dBZ at 50 km
Open for Collaboration
The University of Oklahoma encourages academic, government, and
private sector collaborations focused on advancing weather radar
technology and science. CPPAR is open for business as a platform to
foster and support such relationships. Joint projects are also
welcome in signal processing, radar system design, phased array
radar, profiling radar, QPE, radar polarimetry, retrieval
algorithms, and severe storm observations. Please contact the ARRC
Director for specific inquires.
Publication of CPPAR Data
The use of CPPAR data in formal publications and research projects
is strongly encouraged. For publications, please use the following
acknowledgement: "CPPAR is maintained and operated by the Advanced
Radar Research Center (ARRC) of the University of Oklahoma."
Data Access
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing access to data
collected during past field campaigns. To request data from this
system, please contact
data@arrc.ou.edu. In addition,
you can find example datasets available to be downloaded at the
Data
page.