Wednesday, 14 January | 14:00–17:15

Christine Unal (Geoscience and Remote Sensing, TU Delft CEG) and Prof. Remko Uijlenhoet (Water Management, TU Delft CEG) are organizing a workshop on radar remote sensing of clouds and precipitation. The event is held in connection with the visit of Prof. Pavlos Kollias from Stony Brook University to TU Delft.

The workshop brings together researchers from multiple departments—TUDelft Civil Engineering and Geosciences’ (CEG’s) Geoscience & Remote Sensing, and Water Management, and TUDelft Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science’s (EEMCS’s) Microwave Sensing Signals and Systems (MS3)  — to discuss recent advances in atmospheric radar technology and its applications in understanding clouds and precipitation processes.

Keynote: Connected Radar – A New Paradigm

Prof. Pavlos Kollias, a leading expert in atmospheric radar systems, will present “Connected Radar: A New Paradigm for Atmospheric Experimentation” during the ATMOS seminar from 14:00 to 15:00. His research focuses on the microphysical, dynamical, and radiative processes governing clouds and precipitation, with particular expertise in millimeter-wavelength and phased-array radar systems.

In his presentation, Prof. Kollias will explore how connected radar networks represent a paradigm shift from isolated, stand-alone systems to distributed, intelligent multi-sensor networks. These systems leverage advanced communication infrastructures—including 5G networks and cloud-based platforms—to enable real-time data exchange, cooperative sensing, and adaptive signal processing. When integrated with drones, IoT sensors, satellite data, and AI-driven fusion algorithms, these networks form autonomous observation ecosystems capable of detecting and tracking dynamic atmospheric processes while generating real-time forecasts.

This vision of connected radar aligns naturally with machine learning and artificial intelligence frameworks, enabling automated pattern recognition and adaptive network control. Importantly, it democratizes atmospheric research by allowing researchers and students anywhere to design and conduct weather experiments remotely.

Research Presentations

Following the keynote, from 15:15 to 17:15, the workshop will feature short research presentations and discussions showcasing activities across the three participating departments. Topics will span a broad range of radar remote sensing applications, including thundercloud sensing, self-consistency methods for cloud radar calibration within ACTRIS, marine cloud brightening, and contributions on PHARA, our fast-scanning phased-array polarimetric atmospheric radar at Ku-band. In addition, PhD candidates will present various aspects of precipitation research. 

The interdisciplinary format provides an opportunity for exchange between radar technologists, atmospheric scientists, and hydrologists working on complementary aspects of cloud and precipitation observation.

Attendance Information

In person: Room 2.62, CEG Building, TU Delft
Online: Zoom link available upon request