TABLE OF CONTENTS The modern Doppler weather radar has evolved by utilising the vast experience gained in the development and use of conventional weather radars, but differs in the important and fundamental aspect that it can directly measure many parameters associated with air motion, which the conventional weather radars cannot. Radars utilising the Doppler principle for velocity estimation had been in use in the context of point target observation long before they were developed for dedicated weather observation. This experience with Doppler radars has also contributed significantly to the development of the Doppler weather radar, especially because many of the components and subsystems were readily available for the latter programme. However, like the conventional weather radar, the Doppler weather radar also differs in important ways from its counterparts used for point target detection functions. The differences owe their origin to the need for data mapping over extended fields, requiring specialised signal and data processing and display techniques. The development of Doppler weather radars in recent decades, culminating in their operational deployment, has been motivated by a general need for obtaining a more complete weather picture than that provided by conventional weather radars, and has been particularly spurred by the demands of modern aviation support. This section is dedicated to an understanding of the principles and techniques of wind velocity parameter estimation using the modern Doppler weather radars, and the design and development philosophy of such radars.
The Doppler radar is a coherent radar
