ALWIN MST Radar
Norway /
Nordland /
Bleik /
World
/ Norway
/ Nordland
/ Bleik
World / Norway / Nordland
university, military, interesting place, military radar
The Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Kühlungsborn, Germany (IAP) is installing a new powerful VHF radar on the North-Norwegian island Andøya (69.30°N, 16.04°E) in 2009. The new radar replaces the existing ALWIN radar which has been operated continuously on Andøya for more than 10 years.
The goal of the new system is the investigation of horizontal structures of Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) caused by mesospheric ice clouds. Three-dimensional structures of the wind field and turbulent parameters determined from the radar data will be used to compare the detected PMSE distribution in detail with wind and turbulence variations caused by wave activity.
The new ALWIN radar is a monostatic radar with an active phased array antenna. Its operational frequency is 53.5 MHz and the maximum peak power is approximately 800 kW. The system is composed of an active phased array antenna designed by IAP consisting of 433 Yagi antennas and an identical number of transceiver modules. The radar hardware is designed and manufactured by Genesis Software Pty Ltd. The nearly circular array with a diameter of approximately 90 m corresponding to an aperture of ~6300m2 results in a very symmetric antenna radiation pattern with a half power beam width of 3.6°, a directive gain of 33.5 dBi and an almost symmetric first side lobe with more than 17 dB suppression with respect to the main lobe.
The new ALWIN radar will start with a 16-channel data acquisition system with 25 meter sampling resolution and 16-bit digitization specified which will be upgraded to 64 channels in the final stage.
The high flexibility of the new system allows classical Doppler beam swinging as well as experiments with simultaneously formed multiple beams and the use of modern interferometric applications for improved studies of the Arctic atmosphere from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere with high spatiotemporal resolution.
The installation of the antenna array will be finished in the first week of August 2009. The radar control and data acquisition hardware as well as 145 transceiver modules will be installed in September 2009. The initial expansion stage will use an antenna beam with a beam width comparable to the old ALWIN system but with symmetrical side lobes and free beam steering capability. The second expansion stage is scheduled for spring 2010 with the goal to observe the upcoming PMSE season with full power.
The goal of the new system is the investigation of horizontal structures of Polar Mesosphere Summer Echoes (PMSE) caused by mesospheric ice clouds. Three-dimensional structures of the wind field and turbulent parameters determined from the radar data will be used to compare the detected PMSE distribution in detail with wind and turbulence variations caused by wave activity.
The new ALWIN radar is a monostatic radar with an active phased array antenna. Its operational frequency is 53.5 MHz and the maximum peak power is approximately 800 kW. The system is composed of an active phased array antenna designed by IAP consisting of 433 Yagi antennas and an identical number of transceiver modules. The radar hardware is designed and manufactured by Genesis Software Pty Ltd. The nearly circular array with a diameter of approximately 90 m corresponding to an aperture of ~6300m2 results in a very symmetric antenna radiation pattern with a half power beam width of 3.6°, a directive gain of 33.5 dBi and an almost symmetric first side lobe with more than 17 dB suppression with respect to the main lobe.
The new ALWIN radar will start with a 16-channel data acquisition system with 25 meter sampling resolution and 16-bit digitization specified which will be upgraded to 64 channels in the final stage.
The high flexibility of the new system allows classical Doppler beam swinging as well as experiments with simultaneously formed multiple beams and the use of modern interferometric applications for improved studies of the Arctic atmosphere from the troposphere up to the lower thermosphere with high spatiotemporal resolution.
The installation of the antenna array will be finished in the first week of August 2009. The radar control and data acquisition hardware as well as 145 transceiver modules will be installed in September 2009. The initial expansion stage will use an antenna beam with a beam width comparable to the old ALWIN system but with symmetrical side lobes and free beam steering capability. The second expansion stage is scheduled for spring 2010 with the goal to observe the upcoming PMSE season with full power.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 69°17'54"N 16°2'28"E
- The Moskstraumen 212 km
- Pallastunturi 348 km
- Tanafjord 481 km
- AS Syd-Varanger 545 km
- Sredny Peninsula 609 km
- Rybachy Peninsula 617 km
- Seydozero 775 km
- Werenskioldbreen 871 km
- Hansbreen 873 km
- Kongsøya 1129 km
- Andøya Rocket Range 0.8 km
- (former) Ammunition Storage 2.4 km
- Alomar Observatory 2.6 km
- Andøya Lufthavn Terminal 3.6 km
- Runway 14/32 3.7 km
- Andøya airbase 3.9 km
- Runway 12/31 4 km
- Andøy Port 4.7 km
- Skarsteindalen 7 km
- Andøya 24 km
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