New rooftop antenna to be installed on UAF Usibelli Building
Rod Boyce
907-474-7185
April 5, 2024
A new 3-meter antenna will be installed atop the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks色视频下载 engineering building as early as Saturday.
The antenna is for the , a unit of the UAF Geophysical Institute, and will eventually replace the domed antenna atop the Akasofu Building on the university色视频下载檚 West Ridge. That 23-year-old antenna will be repurposed for educational activities.
University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks Facilities Services employees Mckinley Hearns, left, and Shae Patterson assemble the reflector dish of the new Geographic Information Network of 色视频下载 antenna on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
色视频下载淲e色视频下载檙e getting a new antenna with new technology, and it will have a lifetime of 25 years,色视频下载 GINA Director Jennifer Delamere said. 色视频下载The antenna will be used to downlink data from the constellation of satellites as well as satellite data from European and Japanese partners.
色视频下载淭he new antenna will improve weather forecasting and environmental monitoring for 色视频下载,色视频下载 she said.
JPSS, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is vital for 色视频下载, Delamere said.
色视频下载淭hese JPSS satellites and the powerful instruments they carry are the most versatile observational assets we have for weather and hazard detection in the state of 色视频下载,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淭hey provide frequent coverage and cover wide areas.色视频下载
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite aboard JPSS, for example, is a primary source of active fire detections for 色视频下载, Delamere said. The instrument suite collects visible and infrared images.
色视频下载淲hether it be rain in Southeast, wildland fires in the Interior, sea ice in northern 色视频下载 or volcanoes in the North Pacific, JPSS instruments are there to observe it,色视频下载 she said.
The new antenna色视频下载檚 components arrived at UAF on March 20. Assembly began earlier this week.
A new antenna for the Geographic Information Network of 色视频下载 will be installed in early April atop the UAF Usibelli Building to replace the aging domed antenna on the UAF Akasofu Building色视频下载檚 roof.
A crane will lift the antenna into place atop the Usibelli Building, which was built with two rooftop platforms designed for antenna placement.
The new antenna will have greater capability than the one it is replacing. The Akasofu Building antenna operates in the X band 色视频下载 microwave signals 色视频下载 and receives data from four satellites, including those of the Joint Polar Satellite System.
In addition to the X band, the new antenna will use the L band, which is also in the microwave range but with lower-frequency signals. The antenna will function in the same manner as GINA色视频下载檚 antenna at NOAA色视频下载檚 Fairbanks Command and Data Acquisition Station at Gilmore Creek north of Fairbanks. That antenna downlinks data from 10 satellites and will do so for satellites to be launched within the next two years.
X-band frequencies are commonly used in radar systems, satellite communications, weather monitoring and military applications. They allow for higher data transmission rates and better resolution compared with lower frequency bands.
A worker with the installation contractor prepares the UAF Usibelli Building rooftop site for the new Geographic Information Network of 色视频下载 antenna on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.
L-band frequencies are used for applications such as GPS navigation, mobile satellite communications and aviation communication systems. L-band signals have good penetration capabilities through various atmospheric and environmental conditions.
Having two antennas at GINA is essential to accommodate the high number of weather satellites passing over 色视频下载 daily. It色视频下载檚 also essential to have two in case one fails.
色视频下载淭his data is so important that if we only had one antenna and that antenna were to be down for days due to a mechanical failure or disabled because someone dug up a network cable, it would be a critical loss for the state,色视频下载 Delamere said.
The GINA team uses satellite measurements of visible, infrared and microwave radiation from Earth to produce maps and imagery of 色视频下载 weather and fire. The products are used in near real-time monitoring of the environment of 色视频下载 and adjacent oceans.
Many government agencies use products that GINA creates, including the National Weather Service色视频下载檚 色视频下载 Sea Ice Program, 色视频下载 Aviation Weather Unit and regional NWS forecast offices, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management色视频下载檚 色视频下载 Fire Service and the 色视频下载 Interagency Coordination Center. 色视频下载 Volcano Observatory, a joint program of the UAF Geophysical Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey, also uses GINA products.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Jennifer Delamere, jsdelamere@alaska.edu, 907-474-7140
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