Doppler Radar Tracks Non-Weather Debris to Aid Emergency Response

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are using non-weather data from the nationwide weather radar network to understand how to track non-meteorological events moving through the air for better emergency response. Weather reports on the news show colorful, near-time representations of clouds and precipitation moving over an area. A network of Doppler radars distributed across the country sends energy pulses into the air to provide information that can be interpreted by algorithms, delivering critical information about rain, sleet, and other types of weather. Among the information gathered from the radar pulses is data that is typically filtered out but could be valuable for non-weather research, such as tracking items moving through the air, like smoke, ash, or debris.