A Single Aperture Dual-Wavelength Dual-Polarized Antenna for AWRAP

Severe weather impacts our daily lives, society and the world economy. From an average of $10B annual loss due to tropical cyclones since 1900 to $200B in the commercial shipping industry, which is threatened by severe ocean storms to the hundreds of lives and assets lost in the $20B recreational boating industry. In these cases and many more, accurate now casting and forecasting could prevent these losses and reduce risks. A key observation to improve our knowledge of the weather is the ocean surface vector wind. The technology and product developed through this Phase II project will overcome current technology gaps preventing real-time measurements and mapping of ocean vector winds as well as the three-dimensional atmospheric winds within tropical cyclones and severe ocean storm environments. Specifically, this effort focused on designing a compact single aperture antenna that provides high resolution wide swath mapping of the atmosphere and ocean surface. Combined with the Advanced Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (AWRAP) system, it would provide unprecedented airborne observational capability for tropical cyclones and severe ocean storm environments and imaging capabilities for search and rescue and homeland defense applications.