NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON
MULTIFUNCTION PHASED ARRAY RADAR

You are invited to attend a symposium on the latest developments in Multifunction Phased Array Radar (MPAR), sponsored by Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR) Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction (SDR), and the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology. The theme of the symposium will be “Leveraging Technology for a Next-Generation National Radar System.” The symposium will be held Oct 10-12, 2007, at the National Weather Center (NWC), Norman, OK. (http://www.nwc.ou.edu/)

Beside senior-level panel discussions, there will be an exhibit area for industries to present the latest PAR technology. Following adjournment of the symposium at noon on 12 October, tours to the National Weather Radar Testbed will be offered. An agenda is being prepared. For further details, please come back and check this site for future updates.

Symposium Objectives

• Highlight future user PAR requirements and summarize benefits derived from PAR’s adaptive scanning capability
• Explore implementation of R&D priorities laid out in the June 2006 Interagency JAG/PAR report, accounting for: (1) work already accomplished; (2) items that still need additional focus; and (3) potential alternative configurations
• Gather perspective from the radar industry on the state of the technology, the technological uncertainties, and on the challenges of delivering affordable phased array radar systems in the future
• Develop the way ahead to address MPAR risk reduction challenges through an implementation strategy and interagency management approach

Desired Participants

• Federal, state, and local agencies
• University researchers and federal cooperative institutes
• Radar industry partners
• Congressional delegations

Particulars
There is a registration fee of $60, payable at the symposium registration desk. A continental breakfast will be served each morning. Refreshments will be provided at the morning and afternoon breaks and a catered lunch on 11 October. For other meals limited food services are available at the NWC. There will be a welcome reception and vendor display reception during the evenings. A block of rooms will be made available (government rate) at the nearby National Center for Employee Development (NCED). Reference “MPAR Symposium” when booking rooms to receive the government rate at the NCED. Registration fee for commercial displays will be $250, with presentation area in the atrium of NWC.

Scope/Impact:
Our Nation’s legacy radar systems are aging and will need replacement. MPAR offers the most significant new technological capability to address both current and anticipated radar needs and gaps, as well as a single technological pathway. Given its versatility and adaptive scanning capability, MPAR shows real promise in addressing a wide array of national surveillance needs, both for weather and aircraft:

• Severe Weather: Tornadoes, hail storms, microbursts, etc. are small-scale phenomena. Finer radar resolution and more rapid updates are needed to dissect the inner dynamics of these phenomena and pave the way for improved forecasting. To evolve from “Warn on Observation” (12-14 minute leadtime) to “Warn on Forecast” (30-40 minute leadtime) will require highly resolved vector wind fields from radar to feed storm-scale weather models. MPAR has potential to provide this requisite level of data.
  
• Flood forecasting and Water Resource Management. Better Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPFs) for floods, and Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) for water resource management and drought forecasts both require improved precipitation data from radar over wide areas.
  
• Landfalling Hurricanes: Improved capability to track severe flooding and spin-off tornadoes of landfalling hurricanes.
  
• Wildland Fires: Improved diffusion forecasts of smoke from wildland fires needed for air quality forecasts as well as for operational firefighting.
  
• Surface Transportation: To achieve better characterization of the boundary, scalable, low-power gap-filling PARs can be strategically placed to reduce critical gaps in coverage near the surface.
  
• Aviation Weather: NextGen Air Transportation System demands x3 capacity, improved safety, lower cost. Higher capacity of the air transportation system requires smaller separation between aircraft and hazardous weather; better characterization of inclement weather will open up previously unusable airspace.
  
• Aircraft/UAS Surveillance: National security demands that we have the capability to track all airborne objects over the U.S., cooperative or otherwise.
  
• Volcanic Ash Monitoring: Volcanic ash clouds can pose a serious hazard to aviation; improved methods of monitoring ash clouds need to be explored.
  
• Chem/Bio Weapons Release: MPAR may enhance both the monitoring of dense airborne chemical plumes, as well as providing improved winds aloft for dispersion.
  
• Urban Meteorology: Improved radar data in and around urban areas is needed to close the gap in coverage for high-impact weather events.

This symposium will, among other objectives, highlight the social and economic benefits from MPAR risk reduction research.

Point of Contact: Dr. Mark Weadon, OFCM, Mark.Weadon@noaa.gov, (301) 427-2056 ext 18.