SMART-R
{{Infobox radar
| image = SMART-R Sampling a Haboob.png
| caption = SR-1 sampling a haboob in Arizona.
| country = USA
| manufacturer =
| introdate =
| number = 2
| type = Weather radar
| frequency = 5635 MHz (SR-1)
5612.82 MHz (SR-2)
(C-Band)
| PRF =
| beamwidth = 1.5°
| pulsewidth = 0.2 to 2.0 μs
| RPM = 0-33 deg s−1
| range =
| altitude =
| diameter = 2.5 m
| azimuth =
| elevation = 0°-90°
| precision =
| power =
| other names = SR
}}
The Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radar, colloquially known as SMART-R or SR, is a mobile Doppler weather radar platform operated and created by University of Oklahoma (OU) with aide from Texas A&M and Texas Tech University in 2001.
Development
Throughout the early and late 1990s, several mobile radar concepts came to be, often involving high frequency X-band radars which suffer significant attenuation, and often lack in range. Ideally, these radars would serve as research and observation platforms, covering regions scarcely covered by the NEXRAD network as a whole.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/07/22/u-s-radars-have-come-a-long-way-but-gaps-in-coverage-remain-big-a-risk/|title=U.S. radars have come a long way, but gaps in coverage remain a big risk|first=Dennis|last=Mersereau|date=22 July 2015|website=Washingtonpost.com}} One such concept later went on to become the Doppler On Wheels, now a fleet of 3 operational vehicles.{{cite web|url=http://cswr.org/contents/aboutdows.php|title=Center for Severe Weather Research: The DOW Network|website=Cswr.org}}
In order to counteract the problems previously described with high frequency radars, two decommissioned WSR-74 radars, originally used for local warnings, were acquired by TAMU. These two radars, both operating in the C-band, are less susceptible to attenuation in precipitation and have overall greater ranges for doppler products. Throughout the rest of the 90s and into 2000, development of the first SMART-R, SR-1, began. During development, a fire in the garage housing SR-1 broke out, destroying the truck and several components. Much of the radar survived, however, and the project continued with the completion of SR-1 in late 2001. Following this, SR-2 was assembled and eventually completed in 2004.{{cite journal|title=The Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research And Teaching Radar : A Collaboration to Enhance Research and Teaching|author1= Michael I. Biggerstaff |display-authors=etal |journal=Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society|publisher=American Meteorological Society|date=September 2005|volume=86|issue=9|issn=0003-0007|eissn=1520-0477|pages=1263–1274|doi=10.1175/BAMS-86-9-1263|bibcode = 2005BAMS...86.1263B|doi-access=free}}
== Characteristics ==
All listed characteristics will apply to both SRs. The operating maximum power for SR is 250 kW. The highest operating frequency for SR is 5,635 MHz - falling into the C-band. With a 2.5 m center-fed parabolic antenna, the gain is approximately 40 dB. Moreover, half power beamwidth is approximately 1.5°.
Deployments
Since the inception of the project, both SMART-Rs have performed field research in various regions of the United States, including hurricane research, and haboob intensification studies.{{cite web|url=http://meteorology.ou.edu/ou-smart-r-team-deploys-hurricane-irma/|title=OU SMART-R team deploys to Hurricane Irma|date=8 September 2017|website=Meteorology.ou.edu}} Both SMART-Rs have sampled tornadic supercells across the plains, taking part in projects such as VORTEX-2 and VORTEX-SE. Given the SR platform consists of two individual radars, projects are often arranged in what is known as a dual-doppler setup, whereas two radars are located at different locations in varying orientations so as to maximize wind retrieval accuracy.{{cite web|url=http://www.cswr.org/projects/vortexse/downdraft.html|title=VORTEX-SE - Downdraft Kinematics|website=Cswr.org|date=March 27, 2017|accessdate=May 18, 2018}}