TY - JOUR
T1 - Analytical volume model for optimized spatial radar bat detection in onshore wind parks
AU - Kreutzfeldt, Jannes
AU - Floeter, Carolin
AU - Lingner, Thies
AU - Schmitz-Beuting, Lukas
AU - Reich, Michael
AU - Kunz, Veit Dominik
PY - 2020/9/30
Y1 - 2020/9/30
N2 - To develop mitigation measures for the protection of bats in close proximity to onshore wind turbines, new detection techniques covering large-scale environments and techniques, which are able to track individuals are required. Radar based observations, successfully applied in ornithological studies, offer a promising potential, but come with challenges regarding the comparability of measurements and noise interference (ground clutter) from objects within detection range. This paper presents improvements of a commercially available inexpensive pulse radar for 3D spatial detection of bat-sized objects in onshore wind parks. A new analytical spatial detection volume model is presented incorporating calibrated radar data and landscape parameters such as clutter. Computer simulation programs to process the analytical spatial detection volume model were developed. For model calibration, the minimum signal power of the radar was experimentally determined with the radar cross section (RCS) of an artificial bat (similar to Nyctalus noctula), resulting in a maximum detection range of 800 m and a corresponding RCS of 12.7 cm2. Additionally, the spatial volume for radar detection was optimized with a clutter shielding fence (CSF). Adjusting the volume model by incorporating a theoretical model of the CSF, an extension of the detection volume by a factor of 2.5 was achieved, while the total volume of a 105o horizontal angular radar image section yields 0.0105 km3. Extrapolation and comparison with state-of-the-art acoustic bat detection result in a 270 times larger volume, confirming the large-scale detection capabilities of the pulse radar.
AB - To develop mitigation measures for the protection of bats in close proximity to onshore wind turbines, new detection techniques covering large-scale environments and techniques, which are able to track individuals are required. Radar based observations, successfully applied in ornithological studies, offer a promising potential, but come with challenges regarding the comparability of measurements and noise interference (ground clutter) from objects within detection range. This paper presents improvements of a commercially available inexpensive pulse radar for 3D spatial detection of bat-sized objects in onshore wind parks. A new analytical spatial detection volume model is presented incorporating calibrated radar data and landscape parameters such as clutter. Computer simulation programs to process the analytical spatial detection volume model were developed. For model calibration, the minimum signal power of the radar was experimentally determined with the radar cross section (RCS) of an artificial bat (similar to Nyctalus noctula), resulting in a maximum detection range of 800 m and a corresponding RCS of 12.7 cm2. Additionally, the spatial volume for radar detection was optimized with a clutter shielding fence (CSF). Adjusting the volume model by incorporating a theoretical model of the CSF, an extension of the detection volume by a factor of 2.5 was achieved, while the total volume of a 105o horizontal angular radar image section yields 0.0105 km3. Extrapolation and comparison with state-of-the-art acoustic bat detection result in a 270 times larger volume, confirming the large-scale detection capabilities of the pulse radar.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85092220702
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0239911
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0239911
M3 - Article
C2 - 32997717
AN - SCOPUS:85092220702
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 15
JO - PLOS ONE
JF - PLOS ONE
IS - 9
M1 - e0239911
ER -