Data Quality Reports for Session: 116544 User: sherman Completed: 12/17/2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DQR IDSubjectData Streams Affected
D060803.1NSA/MMCR/C1 - Sensitivity Loss, Calibration WrongnsammcrmomC1.00, nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
D061211.1NSA/MMCR/C1 - MMCR TWTA FailurensammcrmomC1.00, nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
D070705.1NSA/MMCR/C1 - Transmitter failurensammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
D070716.4NSA/MMCR/C1 - Antenna Feed CorrosionnsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0


DQRID : D060803.1
Start DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd Time
08/01/2005000002/01/20072359
Subject:
NSA/MMCR/C1 - Sensitivity Loss, Calibration Wrong
DataStreams:nsammcrmomC1.00, nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
Description:
Jay Mace compared data from CLOUDSAT to the MMCR and found significant discrepancies.  It 
appears that the MMCR has a sensitivity problem and is underreporting reflectivity by ~20 
dBZ.  A comparison with the MPL shows that this might be a gradual degradation, i.e. 
there are no apparent shifts identifying when this might have occured.
Measurements:nsammcrmomC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported(raw)
nsammcrspecmomC1.a0:
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Elevation(Elevation)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • Spectral Data(Spectra)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Height of Center of Each Range Bin(Heights)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • lat(lat)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • lon(lon)
  • Azimuth(Azimuth)
  • base time(base_time)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • First Order Estimate of Spectral Count Calibration(CalibrationConstant)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
nsammcrmomC1.b1:
  • Array of heights for each power(heights)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • TWT Status Code, details forthcoming from MMCR vendor(TWTStatusCode)
  • Time associated with hourly averaged values(TimeAvg)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • lat(lat)
  • lon(lon)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • base time(base_time)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
  • Peak tranmitted power, averaged over the course of the hour(PeakTransmittedPowerAvg)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • time(time)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)

Back To Table of Contents

DQRID : D061211.1
Start DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd Time
11/05/2005010002/01/20072359
Subject:
NSA/MMCR/C1 - MMCR TWTA Failure
DataStreams:nsammcrmomC1.00, nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
Description:
The TWTA is no longer transmitting.
Measurements:nsammcrmomC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported(raw)
nsammcrspecmomC1.a0:
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Elevation(Elevation)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • Spectral Data(Spectra)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Height of Center of Each Range Bin(Heights)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • lat(lat)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • lon(lon)
  • Azimuth(Azimuth)
  • base time(base_time)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • First Order Estimate of Spectral Count Calibration(CalibrationConstant)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
nsammcrmomC1.b1:
  • Array of heights for each power(heights)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • TWT Status Code, details forthcoming from MMCR vendor(TWTStatusCode)
  • Time associated with hourly averaged values(TimeAvg)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • lat(lat)
  • lon(lon)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • base time(base_time)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
  • Peak tranmitted power, averaged over the course of the hour(PeakTransmittedPowerAvg)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • time(time)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)

Back To Table of Contents

DQRID : D070705.1
Start DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd Time
06/29/2007220007/11/20072150
Subject:
NSA/MMCR/C1 - Transmitter failure
DataStreams:nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
Description:
The MMCR has had a hardware failure.  The transmitter apparently isn't working.
Measurements:nsammcrspecmomC1.a0:
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Elevation(Elevation)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • Spectral Data(Spectra)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Height of Center of Each Range Bin(Heights)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • lat(lat)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • lon(lon)
  • Azimuth(Azimuth)
  • base time(base_time)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • First Order Estimate of Spectral Count Calibration(CalibrationConstant)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
nsammcrmomC1.b1:
  • Array of heights for each power(heights)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • MMCR Spectral Width(SpectralWidth)
  • TWT Status Code, details forthcoming from MMCR vendor(TWTStatusCode)
  • Time associated with hourly averaged values(TimeAvg)
  • DC Filtering ON-OFF Status(DCFilterONOFF)
  • radar mode char identifier(ModeDescription)
  • MMCR Mean Doppler Velocity(MeanDopplerVelocity)
  • Data Quality Status(DataQualityStatus)
  • Gate Spacing(GateSpacing)
  • Receiver Cal Check Level(CalCheckLevel)
  • Minimum detectable reflectivity(MinimumDetectableReflectivity)
  • lat(lat)
  • lon(lon)
  • Mean Noise Level(NoiseLevel)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • Delay to First Range Gate(StartGateDelay)
  • Time offset of tweaks from base_time(time_offset)
  • Operating Set for this Record(ModeNum)
  • base time(base_time)
  • Dummy altitude for Zeb(alt)
  • Peak tranmitted power, averaged over the course of the hour(PeakTransmittedPowerAvg)
  • Number of Gate Heights(NumHeights)
  • Receiver Gain(RxGain)
  • Receiver Cal Time Stamp(RxCalTimeStamp)
  • time(time)
  • Average Noise Level (S/N<0)(AvgNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Coherent Integrations(NumCoherentIntegrations)
  • Current Receiver Number(ReceiverNumber)
  • Max. height of clutter removal(ClutterHeight)
  • RadarWaveLength(m) / [4 * InterPulsePeriod(s) * NumCoherentIntegrations](NyquistVelocity)
  • Inter-Pulse Period(InterPulsePeriod)
  • Receiver 290K Level(Rx290KLevel)
  • Number of Code Bits(NumCodeBits)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Number of Receiver(NumReceivers)
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • Receiver Cal Check Time Stamp(CalCheckTime)
  • Windowing ON-OFF Status(WindowingONOFF)
  • Receiver Sky Noise(SkyNoiseLevel)
  • Number of Points in FFT(NumFFT)
  • Circular Depolarization Ratio(CircularDepolarizationRatio)
  • Receiver Mode(ReceiverMode)
  • Number of Spectral Averages(NumSpectralAverages)
  • Pulse Width(PulseWidth)

Back To Table of Contents

DQRID : D070716.4
Start DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd Time
01/01/2006000010/17/20070200
Subject:
NSA/MMCR/C1 - Antenna Feed Corrosion
DataStreams:nsammcrmomC1.b1, nsammcrspecmomC1.a0
Description:
During a trip to Barrow, I inspected the feed under the antenna and noticed an extreme 
amount of corrosion that has resulted in the flexible waveguide connected to the feed to be 
pushed off at an angle with corrosion in between.  I attempted to remove and clean but 
the corrosion has effectively welded the two pieces together.

This didn't happen overnight and the start date is a guess.  The last inspection of the 
antenna probably took place in April 2004 when we did the C40 DSP upgrade.  I don't know 
how much the reflectivity is affected by this corrosion.  It may be possible to get an idea 
once we replace the antenna by making some intercomparison measurements.

The feed was temporarily repaired on 10/16/2007 until the new antenna was installed.  The 
measured loss before and after the repair was 5.1 dB.  This means that the MMCR was 
under-reporting reflectivity by 10.2 dB just before it was repaired.  That said, there is no 
way of ascertaining what the rate of corrosion was and how the loss changed during the 
period of this DQR.  One can assume that the 5.1 dB loss was the worst that it was.
Measurements:nsammcrspecmomC1.a0:
  • Signal to Noise Ratio(SignalToNoiseRatio)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
nsammcrmomC1.b1:
  • Range Corrected Calibrated Power(RangeCorrectedPower)
  • MMCR Reflectivity(Reflectivity)
  • Power (uncalibrated)(Power)
  • Radar Constant(RadarConstant)

Back To Table of Contents


END OF DATA