AEMET chooses Almazán to install a modern radar in the C Band that costs more than three million euros

• The City of Almazán would have to cede the plot as soon as possible since the project of modernization of the terrestrial remote sensing network is financed with funds from the PRTR and the radar station has to be completed in December 2026. • AEMET has studied 22 possible locations in Soria, Zaragoza and Guadalajara and has chosen a place close to the urban center of Fuentelcarro.

Soria, April 26, 2023.- The delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones, accompanied by the subdelegate in Soria, Miguel Latorre, attended this morning in the City of Almazán the presentation of the study of solutions that the State Meteorology Agency (AEMET) has carried out to find the most suitable location for a meteorological radar in the C Band of dual polarization that involves an investment of more than three million euros.

Of all the places analyzed, the most suitable place for this area of Castilla y León near Aragón and also Castilla-La Mancha has been the municipal term of Almazán, specifically the town of Fuentelcarro that is attached to the City of Almazán. As explained by the managers of AEMET, of the 22 sites studied and of all those who have visited this is the one that meets the best conditions.

Considering the average altitude of the area of interest, it can be seen that a radar located in the area of depressions of Jiloca, Calatayud, Molina de Aragón and the valleys of the Alto Duero or the Jalón River would avoid the main orographic blocks of the highest mountains.

To cover this area that forms the border area of the three autonomous communities indicated, a group of experts from AEMET identified in cabinet about twenty locations for this new radar, which concluded with the pre-selection of several places that were visited in a field campaign last February.

In these visits to places such as the CEDER of Lubia, Arcos de Jalón, Deza, Molina de Aragón (Guadalajara) or Jaraba (Zaragoza), the information used in the cabinet was verified and the information associated mainly with infrastructure and operational requirements was collected.

With all the information collected, a multicriteria analysis of the different sites was carried out, which, in a weighted and hierarchical way, valued each location according to a set of criteria related to the improvement in network coverage, with meteorological requirements and monitoring of adverse phenomena, with aspects of infrastructure and budgetary viability.

Publicly owned locations are preferred and all areas and surroundings belonging to the Network of Protected Natural Areas are avoided to seek the lowest possible environmental impact. It also takes into account the ease of access, good communication network points, the proximity of low voltage power supply and that it is a relatively monitored place.

This analysis has been presented today in the form of a study of solutions before the Adnamantine councilors, with their mayor Jesús Cedazo at the head. The head of the Infrastructure Department, the director of the Radar Renovation Project and the territorial delegate of AEMET in Castilla y León attended by AEMET.

After the presentation they made a visit to the chosen area that is located very close to the urban center of Fuentelcarro.

DEADLINES

Since this infrastructure is financed with funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), the deadlines for the execution of the work are very tight. The City of Almazán must quickly cede the plot so that the drafting of the project can begin as soon as possible. The calculation that is considered is that the works begin at the latest in May 2024.

Within the PRTR, the AEMET is carrying out a project for the modernization of the terrestrial remote sensing network that involves the renewal and expansion of the C-band radar network and has a budget of 64 million euros. Within this network is the new dual-polarized radar that is to be located in Fuentelcarro. A complementary network of X-band radars and a network of automatic stations for rainfall measurement adjustment will also be deployed.

A weather radar is designed to detect precipitation and discriminate its types (rain, snow or hail). It performs quasi-three-dimensional sweeps that allow information to be extracted from the structure and evolution of the precipitation. In particular, they allow to observe the storms to analyze their damages and short-term evolution. It also allows you to estimate the direction and evolution of the wind.

The AEMET Radar Observation System (SOR) has 15 radars in Band C of which 13 are located in the Iberian peninsula. The radar coverage is good up to 150 km but is optimal up to 100 km. This system provides coverage practically throughout the territory, but suffers from vacuums with areas of low coverage that must be strengthened. The coverage is affected by the orography.

METEOROLOGICAL RADAR EQUIPMENT

The most important element of a radar station is the meteorological radar equipment itself (ERM), in fact, all its infrastructure and auxiliary systems are designed to house it. The ERM that will be installed in Soria, will be a meteorological radar in Band C, of dual polarization.

The ERM distinguishes an internal segment and an external segment. The outer segment is itself an antenna unit, mounted on a tower and protected by a dome called radome. Among others, this antenna is mounted on a pedestal. The characteristics, dimensions and weights of all the elements that make up the external segment depend on the supplier.

The internal segment is made up of the radar booth or cabinet where the control panels are located, and the transmitter system, the receiver and the processor. The inner and outer segments are connected by microwave waveguides and wiring for power supply and signal transmission.

Regardless of what we understand by ERM, the radar station has a network power supply with backup, communications system, fire system, anti-intrusion system and air conditioning system; as well as a remote control system and monitoring of the entire installation.

In general, the radar station occupies a plot of between 100 and 200 square meters, normally fenced, whose main building is constituted by prefabricated modules with an area no greater than 80 square meters and a tower for radome, whose height ranges between 10 and 20 meters, and which can be housed in the interior distributor patio of the building or in the exterior, but always attached to the module that acts as a room to locate the internal segment of the ERM. The radome is accessed by a staircase located in the heart of the tower up to its trapdoor.

The auxiliary systems of the ERM are housed in the modules that act as rooms. The radar room, which houses the internal segment of the ERM, communications and remote control systems, and an Uninterrupted Power Supply System are generally highlighted. This room must be heated, maintaining a temperature around 20/22°C, for the operation of the ERM

We also find the energy room, which houses the electrical general picture of the installation and a generator set, as well as a toilet and warehouse and an interior patio. All modules have fire-fighting switchboards and anti-intrusion systems, electrical panels, luminaires and usual elements of a technical building.

The auxiliary systems support the ERM. The electrical system and the communications system are the fundamental elements to ensure its operability.

The ERM needs low voltage at 220V, although the installation will be planned in three phases, due to technical specifications of the suppliers of this technology. In order to guarantee the power supply in the event of failures in the previous service, the radar stations in turn have a Generator Set and an Uninterrupted Power Supply System, the switching of which is automatic.