SPLASH Field Study; Snow-level Radar FMCW Moments at Brush Creek, Colorado, 2021-12-20 to 2023-09-05 (NCEI Accession 0289129)

From fall 2021 through summer 2023, NOAA and research partners conducted a field study (SPLASH - the Study of Precipitation, the Lower Atmosphere and Surface for Hydrometeorology). This field study established a state-of-the-art observing network in the East River watershed of the Colorado mountains with a goal of advancing weather and water prediction capabilities in areas with complex terrain. The ultimate goal of this project is improved prediction of weather and water in the Colorado mountains and beyond to inform societal preparedness and response. Among the measurements taken in this study were snow-level measurements, using a snow-level radar that utilizes modernized frequency-modulated, continuous wave (FM-CW) technology. Snow level, the altitude in the atmosphere where snow changes into rain, is a critical parameter influencing runoff in mountainous watersheds because it determines the surface area of the watershed that will be exposed to rain versus snow. When the snow level is above most or all of the terrain in a watershed, a storm is more likely to produce enough rapid runoff to cause flooding. If the snow level is low in a watershed, then a storm increases the snowpack, providing valuable storage of water for potential later use. This archive contains the raw snow-level radar moments (reflectivity, radial velocity, spectral width, and related variables) at the Brush Creek, Colorado site.2021年秋季至2023年夏季，美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration）与合作研究机构共同开展了一项野外研究——SPLASH，即降水、低层大气与水文气象地表研究（Study of Precipitation, the Lower Atmosphere and Surface for Hydrometeorology）。该研究在科罗拉多山脉东河流域搭建了一套最先进的观测网络，旨在提升复杂地形区域的气象与水文预报能力。本项目的最终目标是优化科罗拉多山脉及周边区域的气象和水文预报，为社会防灾备灾与应急响应提供决策依据。本次研究采集的观测项目包含雪高测量数据，所用设备为搭载现代化调频连续波（FM-CW, Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave）技术的雪高雷达。雪高指大气中积雪转变为降雨的临界海拔高度，是影响山地流域径流的关键参数：它决定了流域内将遭受降雨而非降雪的地表面积。当雪高高于流域内多数或全部地形时，风暴更易引发迅猛径流并导致洪涝灾害；若雪高较低，则风暴会增加流域积雪储量，为后续水资源利用提供宝贵的储水空间。本数据集存档了科罗拉多州布拉什克里克（Brush Creek）站点采集的原始雪高雷达矩量数据，包括反射率、径向速度、谱宽及相关变量。