KAZR

The Ka-Band ARM Zenith Radar (KAZR) remotely probes the extent and composition of clouds at millimeter wavelengths. The KAZR is a zenith-pointing Doppler radar that operates at a frequency of approximately 35 GHz. The main purpose of this radar is to determine the first three Doppler moments (reflectivity, vertical velocity, and spectral width) at a range resolution of approximately 30 meters from near-ground to nearly 20 kilometers in altitude. There are also two second-generation KAZRs (KAZR2s) that have a different transmitter, antenna, and radome from the first-generation KAZR and operate with an additional mode for heavy precipitation.

The KAZR replaces the millimeter-wavelength cloud radar (MMCR) and uses a new digital receiver that provides higher spatial and temporal resolution than the MMCR. In addition, spectral artifacts in the data are significantly reduced in the KAZR, allowing researchers to study cloud dynamics much more closely than with the MMCR.

In addition to original operational a1-level data, KAZR data are available as b1-level products for ARM’s three fixed-location atmospheric observatories and for several mobile deployments. Building on the a1-level data, the b1-level products feature improved data quality resulting from extensive analyses and corrections. The data are cross-calibrated to a common point, datastreams are corrected for any operational issues that occurred, and data quality/classification masks and basic derived products are incorporated. For more information, read the published b1-level processing reports.

• Radar Doppler
• Radar polarization
• Radar reflectivity