NA24OARX021G0003
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
Purpose: NOAAS Next-Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) network has improved over the years.
However, a combination of the curvature of the Earth's surface, complex terrain and ~200km spacing between sites blocks line-of-sight scanning of microwave beams across ~70% of America.
NEXRAD beams miss significant volumes within the lower troposphere, where people live and work.
Tornadic activity or heavy rain thus occurs outside of NEXRAD's radar sampling volume, particularly within rural communities.
The result is a significant number of small-yet-severe weather events are missed down near the surface.
We propose leveraging advances in solid state electronics and digital signal processing to develop low-cost, micro dual-polarization Doppler weather radars, operating at community scale that are affordable to local and state emergency management agencies.
Systems will be compact enough to be mounted atop towers-of-opportunity, including municipal water tanks or ubiquitous two-way radio communications towers.
Each radar would perform its own local front end data processing and preliminary quality control screening for ground clutter removal and other interference, and relay data via internet or 5G mobile to NOAA.
Importantly, these radars would supplement NEXRAD operations, filling in near surface gaps and enabling local rapid response to pop-up severe storms, all at very low acquisition cost.
However, a combination of the curvature of the Earth's surface, complex terrain and ~200km spacing between sites blocks line-of-sight scanning of microwave beams across ~70% of America.
NEXRAD beams miss significant volumes within the lower troposphere, where people live and work.
Tornadic activity or heavy rain thus occurs outside of NEXRAD's radar sampling volume, particularly within rural communities.
The result is a significant number of small-yet-severe weather events are missed down near the surface.
We propose leveraging advances in solid state electronics and digital signal processing to develop low-cost, micro dual-polarization Doppler weather radars, operating at community scale that are affordable to local and state emergency management agencies.
Systems will be compact enough to be mounted atop towers-of-opportunity, including municipal water tanks or ubiquitous two-way radio communications towers.
Each radar would perform its own local front end data processing and preliminary quality control screening for ground clutter removal and other interference, and relay data via internet or 5G mobile to NOAA.
Importantly, these radars would supplement NEXRAD operations, filling in near surface gaps and enabling local rapid response to pop-up severe storms, all at very low acquisition cost.
Awardee
Funding Goals
18 CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITIGATION 19 WEATHER-READY NATION 20 HEALTHY OCEANS 21 RESILIENT COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
Leverett,
Massachusetts
010549770
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
American Veritas Engineering was awarded
Project Grant NA24OARX021G0003
worth $175,000
from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in August 2024 with work to be completed primarily in Leverett Massachusetts United States.
The grant
has a duration of 5 months and
was awarded through assistance program 11.021 NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity NOAA SBIR FY 2024 Phase I.
SBIR Details
Research Type
SBIR Phase I
Title
Development of a Low cost, Dual-Polarization Pulse Coded Doppler Phased Array Weather Radar for NEXRAD network near surface gap augmentation
Abstract
NOAA’s Next-Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) network has improved over the years. However, a combination of the curvature of the earth’s surface, complex terrain and ~200km spacing between sites blocks line-of-sight scanning of microwave beams across ~70% of America. NEXRAD beams miss significant volumes within the lower troposphere, where people live and work. Tornadic activity or heavy rain thus occurs outside of NEXRAD’s radar sampling volume, particularly within rural communities. The result is a significant number of small-yet-severe weather events are missed down near the surface. We propose leveraging advances in solid state electronics and digital signal processing to develop low cost, micro dual-polarization Doppler weather radars, operating at “Community Scale” that are affordable to local and state emergency management agencies. Systems will be compact enough to be mounted atop “towers-of-opportunity”, including municipal water tanks or ubiquitous two-way radio communications towers. Each radar would perform its own local front end data processing and preliminary quality control screening for ground clutter removal and other interference, and relay data via internet or 5G mobile to NOAA. Importantly, these radars would supplement NEXRAD operations, filling in near surface gaps and enabling local rapid response to pop-up severe storms, all at very low acquisition cost.
Topic Code
9.1
Solicitation Number
NOAA-OAR-TPO-2024-2008184
Status
(Complete)
Last Modified 4/21/25
Period of Performance
8/1/24
Start Date
1/31/25
End Date
Funding Split
$175.0K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$175.0K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to NA24OARX021G0003
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
NA24OARX021G0003
SAI Number
NA24OARX021G0003-001
Award ID URI
None
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
1305N2 DEPT OF COMMERCE NOAA
Funding Office
1333BR OFC OF PROG.PLANNING&INTEGRATION
Awardee UEI
N132SE8TGBV8
Awardee CAGE
9H5M3
Performance District
MA-02
Senators
Edward Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren
Modified: 4/21/25