Dual polarization radar provides better weather services for Shenzhen

A new radar located on the south side of Phoenix Mountain in Shenzhen is put into use on March 7. [Photo/sznews.com]

A new dual polarization weather radar was put into use in Shenzhen on March 7, allowing the southern Chinese city to more accurately forecast weather and better prevent natural disasters.

Located on the south side of Phoenix Mountain in Shenzhen, the new radar is the first of its kind in China which has a detection precision within 125 meters. It is a milestone for the development of the meteorological industry within the city.

Unlike non-polarimetric Doppler radars which transmit horizontally polarized electromagnetic waves and measure only the horizontal dimension of cloud particles, the dual polarization radar transmits and receives pulses in both a horizontal and vertical orientation. The returning frequencies provide measurements of the horizontal and vertical dimensions of targets, supplying forecasters with better estimates of the size, shape, and variety of targets.

Construction of the radar takes less than 16 months.[Photo/sznews.com]

According to Luo Ming, a senior engineer from Shenzhen's meteorological bureau, the new radar can narrow the range of accurate detection from one kilometer to just 125 meters, providing more accurate precipitation estimates and allowing forecasters to distinguish between heavy rain, hail, snow, and sleet.

Dual channel technology was also used in the radar, enabling it to form a radar network with radars in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao and better serve the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in monitoring extreme weather such as typhoons, storms and severe convections, added Luo.

The project was first put forward in a government white book in 2013. A year later, the Shenzhen meteorological bureau initiated the site selection, planning and design work for the project and construction work began on Dec 16, 2016. 

A screen displays detection results at the radar station. [Photo/sznews.com]