| Description: | The MWR operating software was changed on 27 February 1999 to provide additional
functionality as described below.
NEW FEATURES
1. Faster sampling rate
Standard line-of-sight (LOS) observations can now be acquired at 15-second intervals vs.
20-second intervals previously. (The standard LOS cycle is comprised of one sky sample per
blackbody sample and gain update.)
2. More flexible sampling strategy
Multiple sky observations can be acquired during a LOS cycle, up to 1024 per gain update.
This permits sky samples to be acquired at intervals of 2.67 seconds for improved
temporal resolution of cloud liquid water variations and better coordination with the millimeter
cloud radar during IOPs.
3. Separation of zenith LOS observations from TIP data
When the radiometer is in TIP mode, the zenith LOS observations are now extracted, the PWV
and LWP computed and reported separately in the output file. This eliminates the periods
of missing LOS data during calibration checks/updates.
4. Automatic self-calibration
The software now permits the calibration to be updated at specified intervals or
continuously. In the first case, LOS mode is automatically changed to TIP mode at user-specified
intervals or whenever clear sky conditions occur, the tip data reduced, the calibration
updated, and the radiometer returned to LOS mode without operator intervention. In the
second case, the radiometer is continuously is TIP mode until changed by the operator.
5. Graphical user display
The graphical display is comprised of a status display, a message display, a temperature
plot, a plot of the retrieved PWV and LWP, and (in TIP mode) a plot of the latest tip
curves. |