Python Fundamental Calculations in Radar Meteorology package notes

Created: 5 February 2014 Nick Guy (NRC; NOAA/NSSL) Updated: 13 February 2014 NG - Added functions to system and variables Updated: 8 April 2014 NG - Added extensive docstring formatting, correct Vmax equation. 19 June 2014 NG - Added a script to list raw Sigmet characteristics

Further Details:: attenuation.py – Routines to calculate coefficients useful in attenuation calculations

conversion.py – Routines to convert linear to log reflectivity and vice versa

doppler.py – Routines to calculate a number of fundamental Doppler radar characteristics including unambiguous range and velocity, “Doppler dilemma” equation, dual PRF Vmax,…

geometry.py – Routines to calculate such characteristics as effective radius, half-power radius, ray height, sample volumes, range corrections, beam blockage fractions,…

system.py – Routines to calculate such characteristics as wavelength, frequency, pulse length, radar constant, effective antenna area, thermal noise, …

variables.py – Routines to calculate such characteristics as CDR, LDR, ZDR, ZDP,…
This is really basic at the moment as I haven’t even attempted dual-pol calcs as of yet.

zdrcal.py – Routines to calculate ZDR offset of a dual-polarimetric radar. This is called by an executable called cal_zdr.

BeamBlock - A class that allows the calculation of the geometric beam blocking .

The setup.py should now work. The package has been put in a more standard format as of 21 Nov 2014. Install should be able to be done by the following

e.g.

python setup.py install

The install takes some time because of all of the DEM files in the data directory.

##Data The data folder holds Digital Elevation Model data used in the BeamBlock routine. The data is the GTOPO30, a 30-arc second (~ 1 km) elevation data set.
Data available from the U.S. Geological Survey. Downloaded from the long term archive,

using the EarthExplorer tool.

Developed on the Anaconda distribution (1.9.1 & Python 2.7.7), tested to: Anaconda 2.1.0 and Python 2.7.8 Anaconda

It uses a typical scientific python stack: Numpy Scipy matplotlib

This is somewhat immature software, as it was originally an attempt to help me get
used to programming in Python environment.
I have tested more since it was originally developed and have modified accordingly.

Please feel free to contact me with questions or suggestions.
Do note this is a side project and it may take me some time to respond.

This is open-source software, with no warranties extended.

Nick Guy (nick.guy@noaa.gov)