MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

LINCOLN LABORATORY
244 WOOD STREET
LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02420-9108
Area Code 781
17 October 2013 981-3455


Moshe Alamaro
Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and
Planetary Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
500 Main St. Room 76-661
Cambridge, MA 02139


RE: Radar development for the detection of monolayer films


Dear Moshe,

Thank you for the discussion we had yesterday and for the presentation of your MIT technology
for evaporation suppression by monolayer films. Your technology seems to have tremendous
potential to mitigate water shortages worldwide. However, a major issue with this technology is
the detection and monitoring of the monolayer film that cannot be seen by the naked eye.
Group 105 of MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL) would like to explore collaborating with you and
Calvin Swift of UMASS to develop a radar system for remote sensing of the monolayer films.
Calvin Swift has an approach to develop a prototype radar system based on a low cost COTS
marine radar system. An in-depth system analysis is needed to determine the feasibility of this
approach. It will also be necessary to develop signal processing algorithms for analyzing the
radar data to produce the data products required. A radar developed by MIT LL is available in
the short term that could be used for collecting preliminary data for phenomenology studies and
signal processing algorithm development. An appropriately designed or modified radar system
and algorithms would permit the determination of exactly where in a reservoir corrections would
be needed by the skimmer system to assure complete coverage of the entire reservoir.

The phenomenology of radar backscatter from the ocean or wind-driven bodies of water is
reasonably well understood at this point in time. As stated by Calvin Swift in his write-up the
appropriate radar frequencies are in the 5 to 15 GHz range (C-band to Ku-band) for this
application. These frequencies respond to the capillary waves caused by the interaction of the
wind and the water surface provided the radar polarization is transmit vertical polarization and
receive vertical (VV). The radar mentioned above that is available is a Ku-band radar with VV-
polarization and has sufficient sensitivity using signal processing techniques to measure the
radar backscatter from wind driven water surfaces. Although the MIT LL radar operates at a
somewhat higher frequency than the marine radar under consideration it should still give
comparable results to what would be measured by the marine radar.

A platform for the radar will also be required, for example, a tower for a small reservoir or a
tethered blimp for a bigger one. For very large reservoirs such as Lake Mead, it might be
possible to use a drone that would regularly patrol the reservoir, collecting radar data to identify
where in the reservoir additional monolayer film would be required. MIT LL has been actively
involved in developing small, low cost radars for unmanned air vehicle (UAV) operations that
might also be considered for this application. Once an appropriate prototype is developed, a
technology transfer to industry for manufacturing would be possible.

Finally, we agree to prepare and submit with you and Calvin Swift a grant proposal for National
Science Foundation (hydrologic sciences) in response to their broad solicitation provided MIT
LL is not restricted from doing so. We look forward to working with you on this environmentally
important problem which has a radar solution.


Sincerely yours,

Dennis Blejer
Staff Member
MIT Lincoln Laboratory