What is the elevation coverage of the Multi-mission Hemispheric Radars?

What is the elevation coverage of the Multi-mission Hemispheric Radars?

• A. -20 to +60 degrees
• B. -10 to +70 degrees
• C. 0 to +90 degrees
• D. -5 to +75 degrees

Answer: (B)

Elevation coverage is the vertical span the radar’s beam can scan, expressed as angles above or below the horizon. For this system, the radar can sweep from minus 10 degrees to plus 70 degrees. That means it can observe a bit below the horizon to capture low-level features, and it can look well into the sky to sample mid- to upper-atmospheric structures, without pointing directly upward. This range balances capturing important atmospheric details with practical limits: going lower than minus 10 degrees would bring in more ground clutter and near-surface noise, while going higher than plus 70 degrees would push toward near-zenith angles where mechanical constraints and beam geometry reduce data quality.

Elevation coverage is the vertical span the radar’s beam can scan, expressed as angles above or below the horizon. For this system, the radar can sweep from minus 10 degrees to plus 70 degrees. That means it can observe a bit below the horizon to capture low-level features, and it can look well into the sky to sample mid- to upper-atmospheric structures, without pointing directly upward. This range balances capturing important atmospheric details with practical limits: going lower than minus 10 degrees would bring in more ground clutter and near-surface noise, while going higher than plus 70 degrees would push toward near-zenith angles where mechanical constraints and beam geometry reduce data quality.