Processing of weather radar raw IQ-data towards the identification and correction of wind turbine interference – Project RIWER: Removing the Influence of Wind Park Echoes in Weather Radar Measurements

Abstract

In recent years, the fast construction, expansion and repowering of wind parks have been a major source of concern for the weather radar community and meteorological services. Among others because wind turbines are extremely tall, reflective, and moving objects, which make them a source of interference that is hard to distinguish from meteorological echoes and therefore difficult to filter and even more difficult to correct. Polarimetric C-Band Doppler weather radar measurements enable us to analyse and understand the impact of wind turbine interference on meteorological weather radar echoes and to build up knowledge. The main idea is to analyse the raw IQ-data in order to quantify the behaviour of wind turbine interference with meteorological scattering. As a first step in this direction, this paper will focus on the derivation and analysis of radar moments such as Reflectivity (Z), Differential Reflectivity (ZDR), Differential Propagation Phase (PHIDP), Mean Doppler Velocity (V), and Correlation Coefficient (RHOHV). We will consider two cases: (i) events with precipitation, and (ii) events without precipitation, in order to understand and model the impact of wind turbine interference (WTI). For this purpose, weather radar measurements from Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), recorded under the aegis of the project RIWER (Removing the Influence of Wind Park Echoes in Weather Radar Measurements), are presented, analysed and discussed in detail.