Weather and bushfire observation using low cost X-band phased array radars

Palumbo, Robert; Al-Ashwal, Waddah A.; Ferguson, B. A.; McCarroll, Christopher; McLaughlin, D.J.

doi:10.1109/radar.2013.6652004

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Beyond firebrand studies, there has been no investigation into the distributions or densities of extinguished or scorched canopy foliage transported downwind (Reid et al, ). Anecdotal evidence for this sort of debris exists, but only one study has considered this a candidate for scattering in radar wavelengths (Palumbo et al, ). Further complicating this is the possibility that millimeter‐size soil particles, dust particles, and potentially even larger noncombustible materials have been noted to be entrained due to the strong inflow of fires (Radke et al, ; Reid et al, ; Reid & Hobbs, ).…”

Section: Radar Theory and Wildfire Scatterersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildfire and Weather Radar: A Review

et al. 2019

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Research in the pursuit of better understanding of fire behavior and fire‐atmosphere interaction has frequently encountered a dearth of observational data, especially from events that cause most impact. Here we show that meteorological radar has been demonstrated as an effective tool for profiling the microphysics, thermodynamics, and fire behavior feedback of wildfire plumes, including for cases with deep and moist convection occurring in the fire plume. A synthesis of knowledge on the use of radar for the analysis of wildfire is presented, and the new term pyrometeor is introduced to describe the range of scatterers observed by radar, the reflectivity signature of which is determined by interacting processes of wildfire behavior and atmospheric convection. The reflectivity theories of pyrometeors are compared, and it is shown that there are gaps in knowledge on the size distributions of pyrometeors as well as the complex dielectrics. Observational case studies are compared across plume microphysics, plume thermodynamics and deep pyroconvection, and operational usage of radar to monitor wildfire. The dominant hypothesis of reflectivity is scattering from ash particles, though theories for scattering such as from larger debris exist, although evidence is limited for any hypothesis. Vortices have also been identified using Doppler velocity radar data, but there is limited understanding of their cause and influence on fire‐atmosphere interactions. Recommendations are provided for methods and data sets to advance the application of radar for observing and understanding wildfires, including for plume microphysics and atmosphere‐fire interactions.

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Section: Radar Theory and Wildfire Scatterersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildfire and Weather Radar: A Review

et al. 2019

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“…Anecdotal evidence for this sort of debris exists, but only one study has considered this a candidate for scattering in radar wavelengths (Palumbo et al, 2013). Further complicating this is the possibility that millimetre size soil particles, dust particles and potentially even larger non-combustible materials have been noted to be entrained due to the strong inflow of fires (Radke et al, 1991;Reid & Hobbs, 1998;Reid et al, 2005).…”

Section: Scatterersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bushfire thunderstorms: radar analysis of fire-driven convection in Australia

McCarthy¹

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Bushfires are a natural hazard and necessary disturbance of Australian ecosystems as well as many others around the world, where they may also be known as wildfires. However, a small portion of these fires can lead to widespread destruction of built and natural environments resulting in human and ecological disasters. Research in the pursuit of better understanding of the physical dynamics of these events has frequently encountered a dearth of observational data, especially from events that cause most impact. This is particularly true of fire behaviour that involves interaction with the atmosphere, and is most relevant when this interaction takes place on the scale of a thunderstorm, known as storm scale (mesogamma).The process of pyroconvection occurs when fire-released heat, moisture and/or aerosols induce or augment convection in the atmosphere. This fire-atmosphere coupling may lead to extreme rates of fire spread, as well as rates and distances of spotting -ignitions from ignited debris ahead of fire. Under favourable conditions, pyroconvection may create pyrocumulus which may develop further into a pyrogenic thunderstorm described by the cloud type of pyrocumulonimbus. The lifecycle and thermodynamic properties of these bushfire initiated and augmented thunderstorms are poorly understood. Despite this, they present substantial risk to firefighters and the public both on, and in proximity to, the fire ground through enhanced potential for ember transport and associated spotfire ignitions, pyrogenic lightning and near surface wind modifications that feeds back to fire behaviour.Meteorological radar has been demonstrated in some studies as a potentially useful tool for profiling the microphysics and thermodynamics of bushfire plumes and the associated atmosphere-fire coupling. This thesis aimed to quantify fire behaviour and bushfire thunderstorm lifecycle with radar. A synthesis of knowledge on the theory of radar for the iii analysis of wildfire is presented and the new term 'pyrometeor' is introduced to describe the range of pyrogenic scatterers observed by radar. The methodology and results of a threeyear field campaign (Bushfire Convective Plume Experiment) is detailed. This experiment tested the hypothesis of a dedicated ground based deployable radar platform to describe fire behaviour and fire-atmosphere interaction. Based on the results of the experiment, a machine learning method for the detection and tracking of pyrometeors is presented. Stormscale fire-atmosphere interaction is analysed from direct observations of a fire-initiated and augmented thunderstorm that occurred during the experiment. The findings of the Bushfire Convective Plume Experiment and a review of observational studies of fire with radar are synthesised to combine the theory of fire and radar with observations. The review of observational case studies is compared across plume microphysics, plume thermodynamics and deep pyroconvection, and operational usage of radar to monitor wildfire.Recommendations are provided for methods and da...

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