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Wind Profiler Radars
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Wind profiler radars are radars that point straight up, and through measurements of the radio energy scattered back to the radar, can determine the profile of winds through the atmosphere above the radar site. In the U.S., a few dozen wind profiler radars operate at the 449 MHz frequency, while more than a hundred operate at the 915 MHz frequency. More radars operate internationally.
One type of 915 MHz radar also incorporates an acoustic component, which allows the determination of temperature profiles in addition to wind. According to the "Radar Wind Profiler and RASS Handbook,":
"The 915 MHz radar wind profiler/radio acoustic sounding system (RWP/RASS) measures wind profiles and backscattered signal strength between (nominally) 0.1 km and 5 km and virtual temperature profiles between 0.1 km and 2.5 km. It operates by transmitting electromagnetic energy into the atmosphere and measuring the strength and frequency of backscattered energy. Virtual temperatures are recovered by transmitting an acoustic signal vertically and measuring the electromagnetic energy scattered from the acoustic wavefront. Because the propagation speed of the acoustic wave is proportional to the square root of the virtual temperature of the air, the virtual temperature can be recovered by measuring the Doppler shift of the scattered electromagnetic wave. "
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Frequencies |
| Frequency | Bandwidth | Use | Service | Table |
| 449.9 MHz | 2.5 MHz | 449 MHz Wind Profiler Radar | Radiolocation | - |
| 915 MHz | 7.5 MHz | 915 MHz Wind Profiler Radar | Radiolocation | - |
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