Abstract
The design and implementation of signal-processing algorithms are specialized trades of radar meteorology practiced by a small group of experts and poorly understood by most other radar data users. Yet signal processing is the essential first step of radar data processing, and the skill with which it is done determines the type and quality of data that will be available to radar meteorologists. Like many other facets of radar meteorology, it is undergoing a rapid evolution as computing capabilities expand exponentially. In this chapter, an overview of the current state and evolution of signal processing for the nonspecialist is provided. To achieve this, the nature and the properties of the radar signal itself is first described, as it determines the type and quality of the information that can be obtained. After these foundations are laid, the current state of signal processing on operational radars and then some of the latest developments that may shape the future are described.
