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Absolute Calibration of Weather Radars Using Metal Spheres Based on Sector Scanning.

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Title: Absolute Calibration of Weather Radars Using Metal Spheres Based on Sector Scanning.
Authors: Ye, Fei1 (AUTHOR), Wang, Xumin2 (AUTHOR), Li, Feifei3 (AUTHOR) lifeifei@cma.gov.cn, Yin, Jiazhi1 (AUTHOR), Cao, Jiaxuan1,2 (AUTHOR), Yang, Qian1,3 (AUTHOR), Huang, Zehao1 (AUTHOR), Li, Xuehua2 (AUTHOR)
Source: Remote Sensing. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1942. 20p.
Subjects: Radar meteorology, Scanning systems, Spheres, Drone aircraft
Abstract: Highlights: What are the main findings? Sector scanning significantly improves sampling coverage and data density compared with cross scanning. A three-dimensional ellipsoidal model effectively corrects range-bin crossing effects and enhances echo intensity and beamwidth retrieval accuracy. What are the implications of the main findings? The proposed method provides a more robust and accurate approach for weather radar metal sphere calibration under complex conditions. Combining cross scanning and sector scanning is recommended for efficient and high-precision operational calibration. To address the limitations of the traditional cross-scanning method in absolute calibration of weather radars using metal spheres, including insufficient spatial coverage, limited target acquisition efficiency, and echo underestimation in inter-range bins, this study proposes a sector scanning field calibration method. In this approach, standard metal spheres are suspended from UAVs, and a three-dimensional scanning volume around their theoretical positions is constructed to enable high-density echo sampling. By applying drive backlash correction, quadratic Gaussian surface fitting, and three-dimensional ellipsoid model inversion, key radar parameters can be retrieved. Experimental results show that the improved sector scanning method enhances automation, accuracy, and robustness in field environments and minor target drifts. The experiments were conducted under low-wind and low-clutter conditions. The average calibration error of antenna pointing is 0.08°, the average error of echo intensity calibration is 0.3 dB, the average beamwidth error is 0.07°, the range resolution is 6.6 m, and the average radial ranging error is 14 m. These results indicate that the proposed method can meet the main calibration requirements of weather radars in the present experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Absolute Calibration of Weather Radars Using Metal Spheres Based on Sector Scanning.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ye%2C+Fei%22">Ye, Fei</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Xumin%22">Wang, Xumin</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Feifei%22">Li, Feifei</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lifeifei@cma.gov.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yin%2C+Jiazhi%22">Yin, Jiazhi</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cao%2C+Jiaxuan%22">Cao, Jiaxuan</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yang%2C+Qian%22">Yang, Qian</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Huang%2C+Zehao%22">Huang, Zehao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Xuehua%22">Li, Xuehua</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Remote+Sensing%22">Remote Sensing</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 18 Issue 12, p1942. 20p.
– Name: Subject
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Radar+meteorology%22">Radar meteorology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scanning+systems%22">Scanning systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spheres%22">Spheres</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drone+aircraft%22">Drone aircraft</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Highlights: What are the main findings? Sector scanning significantly improves sampling coverage and data density compared with cross scanning. A three-dimensional ellipsoidal model effectively corrects range-bin crossing effects and enhances echo intensity and beamwidth retrieval accuracy. What are the implications of the main findings? The proposed method provides a more robust and accurate approach for weather radar metal sphere calibration under complex conditions. Combining cross scanning and sector scanning is recommended for efficient and high-precision operational calibration. To address the limitations of the traditional cross-scanning method in absolute calibration of weather radars using metal spheres, including insufficient spatial coverage, limited target acquisition efficiency, and echo underestimation in inter-range bins, this study proposes a sector scanning field calibration method. In this approach, standard metal spheres are suspended from UAVs, and a three-dimensional scanning volume around their theoretical positions is constructed to enable high-density echo sampling. By applying drive backlash correction, quadratic Gaussian surface fitting, and three-dimensional ellipsoid model inversion, key radar parameters can be retrieved. Experimental results show that the improved sector scanning method enhances automation, accuracy, and robustness in field environments and minor target drifts. The experiments were conducted under low-wind and low-clutter conditions. The average calibration error of antenna pointing is 0.08°, the average error of echo intensity calibration is 0.3 dB, the average beamwidth error is 0.07°, the range resolution is 6.6 m, and the average radial ranging error is 14 m. These results indicate that the proposed method can meet the main calibration requirements of weather radars in the present experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Remote Sensing is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/rs18121942
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        StartPage: 1942
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scanning systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spheres
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drone aircraft
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      – TitleFull: Absolute Calibration of Weather Radars Using Metal Spheres Based on Sector Scanning.
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            NameFull: Ye, Fei
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              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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