ATSC Seminar, Thursday, May 4, 2006, at 3:00PM in room 6085A
An Overview of the
Patrick Kennedy and V. Chandrasekar: CSU-CHILL Radar Facility
Abstract: The VCHILL software was originally developed as a method of using internet communication protocol to transmit the CSU-CHILL radar data stream to distant (off radar site) locations (Chandrasekar et al., JTECH 2005, 979-987). In the last several years, the VCHILL software has been rewritten as a machine-independent Java language application that can readily be downloaded from the radar facility’s web site. This arrangement brings a flexible, interactively-controlled research radar display program to any modest performance PC with internet access. In operation, VCHILL can display both real time and archived radar data. The archived CSU-CHILL data files contain polarimetric radar observations from a variety of meteorological situations (i.e., severe thunderstorms, winter storms, etc.) To help organize access to this data archive, VCHILL incorporates a “bookmark” feature that allows the user to save the program settings (specific date and antenna sweep time, display centering and magnification, etc.) associated with data replays of particular interest. An educational bookmark classification that automatically displays case-related courseware (auxiliary reference material, custom annotated plots etc.) has also been developed. A primary goal of the seminar will be the demonstration of VCHILL’s capabilities to facilitate in-class presentations of data in both radar meteorology and engineering courses.