Radar Clutter Suppression Using Fine Weather Reference Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional meteorological radars face challenges in accurately calculating rain amounts due to the presence of static clutter components, which are not effectively suppressed, especially in fine weather conditions, leading to unstable observation data and over-suppression of rain components.
Innovation Solution
A clutter suppressing device is introduced, which uses reference data from fine weather to remove static clutter components from rainy weather data, employing a clutter suppressor with a filter characteristic that weights echo data across multiple sweeps to differentiate and suppress static clutter without affecting moving rain components, thereby improving rain amount calculation accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If observation data in fine weather is used to automatically search optimal parameters, then parameter adjustment can be automated, but the accuracy of rain amount calculation deteriorates due to unstable observation data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary clutter suppression processing on fine weather observation data before parameter search, pre-processing the data to remove unstable components. This allows automated parameter search to proceed with stabilized data, maintaining both automation and accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Clutter suppression processing acts as an intermediary between the raw fine weather data and the parameter search algorithm. By inserting this intermediate processing step, the system transforms unstable data into stable data suitable for automated analysis, resolving the contradiction between automation and accuracy.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional MTI processing is applied to suppress static clutter components, then clutter suppression can be achieved, but rain components are overly suppressed causing over-suppression
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the clutter suppression strength based on the Doppler spectrum characteristics of the observed data. By making the suppression parameter adaptive rather than fixed, the system can suppress clutter effectively while preserving rain components that have different spectral characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the suppression parameter based on the observed Doppler spectrum width and shape. When rain components are present, the spectrum characteristics change, and the system adjusts the suppression level accordingly, preventing over-suppression of rain echoes while maintaining clutter rejection.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If echo components of static objects are suppressed strongly, then clutter suppression improves, but echo components of rain are overly suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The clutter suppression strength is made dynamic by continuously monitoring the Doppler spectrum characteristics. The system adapts the suppression level in real-time based on whether the observed signals resemble clutter or rain, ensuring optimal suppression without affecting rain components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the Doppler spectrum analysis to adjust the suppression level. By continuously analyzing the spectral characteristics and feeding this information back to the suppression algorithm, the system can distinguish between clutter and rain and apply appropriate suppression levels for each.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses static clutter components, enhancing the accuracy of rain amount calculations by distinguishing and removing static clutter without over-suppressing rain components, thus improving the reliability of meteorological observations.
Implementation Method 1
meteorological radars measure precipitation by transmitting radio waves over 360° around the radar concerned and receiving reflection wave (echo) signals caused by the transmitted radio waves reflecting on cloud or rain
Implementation Method 2
a clutter suppressor 21 that performs filter processing on the reception signal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A clutter suppressing device (20) for suppressing echo data of static clutter components indicating reflection waves caused by radar transmission signals reflecting on a static object is provided. The device (20) includes a static clutter component suppressor (21) configured to receive reception signals containing the static clutter components, and suppress the static clutter components, a reference data memory (23) configured to store, as reference data, echo data of the reception signals obtained in fine weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor (21), and a rain component extracting module (24) configured to extract echo data indicating rain components contained in the reception signals, by removing the reference data stored in the reference data memory (23) from echo data of the reception signals obtained in rainy weather and in which the static clutter components are suppressed by the static clutter component suppressor (21).