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(IVAR) - Final Report - Strategic Environmental Research and ...

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2.5 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE TECHNOLOGY/METHODOLOGY<br />

The technologies other than radar that researchers have used to detect birds include a wide range<br />

of human observations supplemented with optical enhancements (e.g., spotting scopes,<br />

binoculars), sensors that record images (cameras <strong>and</strong> video recording), infrared sensors for<br />

tracking <strong>and</strong> counting birds, <strong>and</strong> acoustic sensors for bird vocalizations. Each of these<br />

technologies has advantages <strong>and</strong> limitations, <strong>and</strong> none is superior in all sampling situations.<br />

Radar’s overall advantage is an aggregate of capabilities that derive from the sensor itself, the<br />

processor used to extract information from the sensor, <strong>and</strong> the operational capabilities of the<br />

system. We have listed these advantages <strong>and</strong> limitations below <strong>and</strong> compared them to other<br />

technologies in Table 2-1.<br />

Advantages:<br />

• Sample day or night;<br />

• Automatic <strong>and</strong> remote 24/7operation;<br />

• Sample through 360º of azimuth;<br />

• Detection at ranges ≥ 6 nmi;<br />

• Automated real-time tracking;<br />

• Display tracks over facility maps, aerial photos, etc.;<br />

• Fuse target data for increased situational awareness ;<br />

• Operates in a wide range of environmental conditions;<br />

• Reduced labor costs through unattended operations;<br />

• Immediate production of digital data;<br />

• System data management capabilities to provide opportunities for comparative <strong>and</strong><br />

historical analysis;<br />

• Network- <strong>and</strong> Web Services-compliant; <strong>and</strong><br />

• Joint use with existing data streams (ASR <strong>and</strong> NEXRAD)<br />

Limitations:<br />

• Radar physics may limit applications due to target <strong>and</strong> environmental characteristics;<br />

• Radar beam samples a limited volume (determined by antenna type);<br />

• Resolution based on target reflectivity, thus accurate prediction of species details (e.g.,<br />

size, shape, density, gender) is problematic;<br />

• Not suited to high-clutter environments (e.g., in forests, near buildings);<br />

• Health & safety issues dependent on unit power <strong>and</strong> distance to human targets; <strong>and</strong><br />

• Variable deployment costs<br />

25

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