Summary: A new instrument, called an airborne Doppler Wind Lidar (ADWL, for short), was flown on NOAA’s hurricane hunter aircraft into two storms during 2016. This instrument measures winds above and below the plane. The ADWL measures wind where radar on the aircraft cannot: the radar can measure the wind where there are clouds or rain, while the ADWL can measure wind where it is clear. This allows for a more complete picture of what the wind looks like in a tropical storm or hurricane. In this study, the wind measurements from the ADWL were compared to those from other instruments to make sure that the they were accurate. Future testing using the instrument can focus on how to better use the ADWL wind data to improve forecasts.
Important Conclusions:
- The ADWL shows great potential to measure wind where we have not been able to measure it before.
- The ADWL wind measurements are as accurate as other wind data.
- The ADWL has some problems measuring where wind changes quickly in a small area.
Read the full paper at https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/18/12/4288.