HS3 HIWRAP Radar Dataset for Tropical Storm Analysis

HIWRAP radar data was collected from the Global Hawk aircraft during the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) campaign. The dual-frequency, conically scanning system mapped tropospheric winds and precipitation using Doppler velocity and reflectivity profiles. This dataset supports research on tropical cyclone formation and the role of the Saharan Air Layer.

Use Cases

• Retrieving full tropospheric wind fields from cloud and precipitation backscatter measurements.
• Analyzing precipitation drop-size distributions using dual-wavelength (Ku- and Ka-band) radar data.
• Estimating ocean surface wind speeds via scatterometry techniques.
• Studying the role of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) in tropical storm intensification.
• Investigating inner-core deep convection in hurricanes using Doppler velocity profiles.

Strengths

• Data originates from a sophisticated, dual-frequency (Ku- and Ka-band) radar system designed for high-altitude aircraft.
• Collection method involved conically scanning at 10-20 rpm to sweep beams below the Global Hawk for detailed profiling.
• Dataset is hosted on multiple authoritative platforms (NASA Earthdata, Data.gov), indicating recognized scientific value.

Limitations

• Critical metadata such as row count, column names, and dataset size are unknown across all sources.
• Sources conflict on license information ('other-license-specified' vs. 'None') and last updated date (2026 vs. 2014).

Provenance

Source

High-altitude Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (HIWRAP) on the Global Hawk aircraft during the HS3 campaign.

Collection Method

Airborne, conically scanning Doppler radar collecting velocity and reflectivity profiles.

Time Range

Campaign period of the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) mission.

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:26:21.869663

Geography

Areas flown by the Global Hawk during the HS3 campaign, focusing on tropical storm regions.