Integrated Filter Bank Radiometer for Profiling Low Concentrations of Atmospheric Water Vapor

70084 Current microwave radiometer designs are inadequate for measuring low atmospheric water vapor concentrations crucial to global climate research. This project will develop a new design that will provide reliable and accurate measurements of low water vapor concentration and will also reduce microwave radiometer size, power consumption, and cost. Mass production electronic techniques and monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology will be implemented in a modular design. Phase I will determine an optimum modular filter bank MMIC radiometer design. Filter performance will be modeled and improved, and the effect of filter characteristics upon spectral sampling will be determined. Prototype filter modules, including amplifiers and detectors, will be modeled, designed, constructed, and tested. Various approaches to radiometer calibration will be explored. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: National weather services are evaluating the use of radiometric profilers for operational forecasting. Radiometric profiler observations could also be used to improve chemical, biological, and nuclear dispersion forecasting; to improve long-range artillery accuracy; and for detection of radar ducting and aircraft icing conditions. Radiometers also could be used for the detection of buried objects.