{"677324":{"#nid":"677324","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Weather Radar Supports Research and Education, Helps Fill Coverage Gaps","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ECollaboration among three Georgia institutions of higher education on the operation of a new weather radar system will enhance student learning, provide new opportunities for research, and help improve severe weather coverage in north Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstalled recently at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), an X-band weather radar purchased two years ago by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia (UGA) is now providing data for a section of north Georgia where information on severe storms such as tornados can be limited by terrain.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe radar will also be used for research into weather and severe storms, and by students at the three institutions for learning about everything from physics and engineering to weather, rainfall, and the effects of changing climate on the migration patterns of birds and insects. The instrument will be one of just a handful of weather radars operated by universities in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe are really excited about this partnership with Georgia Tech, the Georgia Tech Research Institute, the University of Georgia, and Georgia Gwinnett College,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/geography.uga.edu\/directory\/people\/james-marshall-shepherd\u0022\u003EMarshall Shepherd\u003C\/a\u003E, Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship and Partnership at UGA\u2019s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Director of UGA\u2019s Atmospheric Sciences Program. \u201cThe radar will be a real-time component of classes, so it\u2019s creating new instructional and service capabilities. It will also enable researchers at the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech to pursue new research opportunities in the areas of severe weather, frozen precipitation \u2013 and perhaps even studies of birds and insects.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe radar will provide a new data source for UGA\u2019s WeatherDawgs service, which provides hyperlocal weather data not only for the Athens community, but also for residents of eastern and northeastern Georgia. The system will also provide a real-time component for the mesoscale meteorology course taught at the university.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor Georgia Tech, the radar will support the work of the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/severestorms.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESevere Storms Research Center (SSRC)\u003C\/a\u003E, a state-funded initiative that serves as a focal point for severe storms research in the state. The radar will also support research and education at Georgia Tech, including courses on weather radar systems and studies of lightning being done in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe new radar will help fill some low-level gaps in weather radar coverage in north Georgia, and give higher-resolution data for the Georgia Gwinnett campus, University of Georgia campus, Georgia Tech campus and areas in between,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/severestorms.gatech.edu\/contact-information\/\u0022\u003EJohn Trostel\u003C\/a\u003E, director of the SSRC. \u201cThis is an area where both UGA and Georgia Tech have interests because it goes from urban to suburban, then back to urban. We might see some very interesting weather phenomena going on in those transition areas.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe National Weather Service has access to a feed from the radar and will use it to obtain information about low-altitude weather activity that can\u2019t be seen as well from sources such as the NEXRAD radar based in Peachtree City and the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Trostel added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ggc.edu\u0022\u003EGeorgia Gwinnett College\u003C\/a\u003E, the radar will provide real-world examples of how physics and engineering concepts are applied. Data from the radar system, which will be accessible to the college, would also provide students with a new research opportunity that is a required component of the science curriculum.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cOur Physics and Pre-Engineering courses already cover the concepts of electromagnetic waves and the Doppler effect, which are the main principles behind radar,\u201d said \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ggc.edu\/directory\/neelam-khan\u0022\u003ENeelam Khan\u003C\/a\u003E, the Chair of the Physics and Pre-Engineering Department at Georgia Gwinnett College. \u201cThrough this radar, students will learn about the applications of Doppler radar to track weather patterns and visualize the data it produces.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EConnections with the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, and the Georgia Tech Research Institute will also help broaden the experience of students at Georgia Gwinnett College, a four-year public college that was founded in 2005 and now has more than 11,000 students, Khan said. All three collaborating institutions are part of the University System of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Furuno WR-2100 X-band weather radar was purchased in 2022 using funding from Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia. It was initially placed atop a building on GTRI\u2019s Smyrna campus, where it underwent tests while Trostel and Shepherd searched for the best location for a more permanent installation. The researchers have used the device to look at storms, generate data, and practice data analysis.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Georgia Gwinnett location was selected because the campus location enables coverage for both Atlanta and Athens. The Gwinnett County location also helps fill potential gaps in northeast Georgia and brings a unique resource for GGC\u2019s educational mission. The radar is now fully operational.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOwning and operating a weather radar is unusual for colleges and universities, but not surprising given the impact of severe weather in Georgia, Shepherd noted.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWeather is a significant threat to our lives and property, particularly in Georgia,\u201d Shepherd said. \u201cWhile we have an adequate radar network from the National Weather Service and the Terminal Doppler Weather Radar, there are often gaps and needs for higher resolution, more detailed information. Our institutions have entered very rare air in owning and operating a weather radar that will benefit our students, the state, and our research enterprise in the University System of Georgia institutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBecause they\u2019ll be able to control the geographic areas covered by the radar and the level of detail in the information gathered, the new weather radar will be a useful tool not only for tracking storms, but also for conducting research, Trostel said. Its ability to provide highly detailed information even allows it to track the movement of insects and birds, for example.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe can see things at higher resolution, and we have complete control over how we manipulate the radar beam to look at things,\u201d Trostel said. \u201cThe radar is much less expensive to purchase and operate than other weather radars, which makes it a budget-friendly tool for university research.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe instrument cost approximately $150,000 to purchase and was acquired through donations and internal funding at UGA and Georgia Tech. Shepherd and Tom Mote, the founding director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at UGA, contributed funds from institutional research budgets. A significant financial gift was also acquired from Elaine Neal, an alumna of the UGA Department of Geography and longtime donor to the University of Georgia.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, funds were provided by GTRI\u2019s Sensors and Electromagnetic Applications Laboratory, and the Aerospace, Transportation and Advanced Systems Laboratory, the Georgia Tech Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, and Georgia Tech\u2019s College of Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWriter: John Toon (john.toon@gtri.gatech.edu)\u003Cbr\u003EGTRI Communications\u003Cbr\u003EGeorgia Tech Research Institute\u003Cbr\u003EAtlanta, Georgia USA\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EInstalled recently at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), an X-band weather radar purchased two years ago by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia (UGA) is now providing data for a section of north Georgia where information on severe storms such as tornados can be limited by terrain. The radar will also be used for research into weather and severe storms and by students at the three institutions for learning about everything from physics and engineering to weather, rainfall, and the effects of changing climate on the migration patterns of birds and insects. The instrument will be one of just a handful of weather radars operated by universities in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Collaboration among three Georgia institutions of higher education on the operation of a new weather radar system will enhance student learning, provide new opportunities for research, and help improve severe weather coverage in north Georgia."}],"uid":"35832","created_gmt":"2024-10-04 12:09:19","changed_gmt":"2024-10-15 15:38:49","author":"Michelle Gowdy","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-10-04T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"675214":{"id":"675214","type":"image","title":"X-band weather radar","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERadar returns from the X-band weather radar shows storms over Northeast Georgia. (Credit: John Trostel, GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728043478","gmt_created":"2024-10-04 12:04:38","changed":"1728043617","gmt_changed":"2024-10-04 12:06:57","alt":"X-band weather radar","file":{"fid":"258815","name":"X band weather radar screen.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/X%20band%20weather%20radar%20screen.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/X%20band%20weather%20radar%20screen.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":929437,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/04\/X%20band%20weather%20radar%20screen.jpg?itok=GuxF8aes"}},"675213":{"id":"675213","type":"image","title":"GTRI\u0027s John Trostel and UGA\u0027s Marshall Shepherd","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJohn Trostel, director of the Severe Storms Research Center (SSRC) at Georgia Tech, and Marshall Shepherd, Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship and Partnership at UGA\u2019s Franklin College of Arts and Sciences and Director of UGA\u2019s Atmospheric Sciences Program, at the SSRC. (Credit: Sean McNeil, GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728043307","gmt_created":"2024-10-04 12:01:47","changed":"1728043467","gmt_changed":"2024-10-04 12:04:27","alt":"GTRI\u0027s John Trostel and UGA\u0027s Marshall Shepherd","file":{"fid":"258814","name":"SSRC New Radar_01.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/SSRC%20New%20Radar_01.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/SSRC%20New%20Radar_01.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2957893,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/04\/SSRC%20New%20Radar_01.jpg?itok=e9xhtOMO"}},"675212":{"id":"675212","type":"image","title":"X-band weather radar installation","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThe new X-band weather radar being installed on the roof of a building at Georgia Gwinnett College. (Credit: Christopher Moore, GTRI)\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728042956","gmt_created":"2024-10-04 11:55:56","changed":"1728043236","gmt_changed":"2024-10-04 12:00:36","alt":"X-band weather radar installation","file":{"fid":"258813","name":"GTRI_weather_radar_2024_1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/GTRI_weather_radar_2024_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/10\/04\/GTRI_weather_radar_2024_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1548618,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/10\/04\/GTRI_weather_radar_2024_1.jpg?itok=m1dM8NYm"}},"675215":{"id":"675215","type":"video","title":"Weather Radar","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWeather Radar Supports Research and Education, Helps Fill Coverage Gaps Collaboration among three Georgia institutions of higher education on the operation of a new weather radar system will enhance student learning, provide new opportunities for research, and help improve severe weather coverage in north Georgia. Installed recently at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), an X-band weather radar purchased two years ago by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Georgia (UGA) is now providing data for a section of north Georgia where information on severe storms such as tornados can be limited by terrain. The radar will also be used for research into weather and severe storms and by students at the three institutions for learning about everything from physics and engineering to weather, rainfall, and the effects of changing climate on the migration patterns of birds and insects. The instrument will be one of just a handful of weather radars operated by universities in the United States.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1728043990","gmt_created":"2024-10-04 12:13:10","changed":"1728044026","gmt_changed":"2024-10-04 12:13:46","video":{"youtube_id":"eOsBIKfINRk","video_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=eOsBIKfINRk"}}},"media_ids":["675214","675213","675212","675215"],"groups":[{"id":"1276","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)"},{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"},{"id":"154","name":"Environment"},{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"},{"id":"8862","name":"Student Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"416","name":"GTRI"},{"id":"365","name":"Research"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"166902","name":"science and technology"},{"id":"341","name":"innovation"},{"id":"3432","name":"weather"},{"id":"169457","name":"Severe Storms Research Center"},{"id":"4838","name":"University of Georgia"},{"id":"193994","name":"USG collaboration"},{"id":"193995","name":"Georgia Gwinnett College"},{"id":"2621","name":"radar"},{"id":"193996","name":"X-radar"},{"id":"189447","name":"developing future technology leaders"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193653","name":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"},{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E(Interim) Director of Communications\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichelle Gowdy\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMichelle.Gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-407-8060\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["michelle.gowdy@gtri.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}