Abstract: A method and apparatus of point target filtering in a weather radar system for eliminating point targets such as airplanes in real time. A one-dimensional filter is used that operates on a single radar dwell of data at a time. The filter searches for point targets in a reflectivity data field by looking for increases and decreases in the magnitude of the radar return. Each sample volume of the radar dwell is compared to adjacent sample volumes and the differences are tested against predetermined point target thresholds. The differences greater than such predetermined thresholds are flagged. After the entire radar dwell is processed, flagged point target data in the sample volumes are replaced with the data from the sample volume just before the point target which is not considered to part of the point target. The point target filter removes the point targets and the performance limiting contamination they represent to automatic weather data processing programs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for real time de-aliasing of the Doppler velocity data in a weather radar system by using a Process Radials routine which processes every valid range gate along a radar dwell by determining if each range gate is within the Nyquist velocity of either the average of four preceding range gates or data from a Windfield Model. To further enhance the de-aliasing process a Process Dual Scans routine is used prior to the Process Radial routine to de-alias velocity data by comparing velocity data from two scans of different pulse repetition frequencies. Subsequent to the Process Radials routine, a Minimize Azimuthal Shear routine checks velocity discontinuities from azimuth to azimuth. The de-aliased data is transferred to an Update Windfield Model routine for quality checks of the de-aliased velocity data and updating of the Windfield Model. This complete method of de-aliasing the velocity data is performed during the real time operation of the radar system.