| Description: | The SACR continues to undergo evaluation by the radar instrument mentors, ProSensing, VAP
developers, DQ Office, site scientists, users, etc. As more in-depth analysis and
calibration studies take place, we anticipate that new insights will be gained to increase the
quality of the data and decrease the uncertainty of the measurements. This is a
continuous improvement process and issues will be addressed as they are discovered.
Calibration is very important. Calibration of the SACRs depends on the careful
installation of a corner reflector target. These are installed at all ARM fixed sites and AMF1 on
Cape Cod. This provides a external calibration reference not obtainable with a
zenith-pointing radar such as the KAZR. However, significant data analysis is required to assure
that the radar is pointing at the target and there are no interfering losses in the
transmission path.
As issues are discovered, attempts will be made to correct data that is currently in the
Archive. However, retrospective correction of errors due calibration, signal processing,
component degradation and software bugs may not be possible for many of the data files.
This open-ended DQR is an advisory that some aspects of the data quality are not yet
known. It is also a request for users that find issues or questions with the data to contact
the ARM Radar Engineering & Operations Group Manager, Kevin Widener, at
kevin.widener@pnnl.gov as these issues occur so that they can be investigated and corrected if necessary. |