Weather & Road ConditionProduct Improvements Enabled

byVehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII)

Weather & Road ConditionProduct Improvements Enabled

byVehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII)

William P, MahoneyKevin R. Petty

Richard R. Wagoner

National Center for Atmospheric Research

William P, MahoneyKevin R. Petty

Richard R. Wagoner

National Center for Atmospheric Research

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DEFINITION: Vehicle to Infrastructure (V-I) and Vehicle to Vehicle (V-V) communication through Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC-wireless radio comm. 5.9 GHz)

DEFINITION: Vehicle to Infrastructure (V-I) and Vehicle to Vehicle (V-V) communication through Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC-wireless radio comm. 5.9 GHz)

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration(VII)

Vehicle Infrastructure Integration(VII)

Vehicle 2 Vehicle 1RSU

Sent: Low Sent: Low Friction Friction

IndicatorIndicator

Received: Low Received: Low Friction Friction Ahead!Ahead!

RSU

Data Fusion – Road Weather Impact ProductsData Fusion – Road Weather Impact Products

New weather and road condition data (incl. VII and Clarus data) should be integrated into a seamless information database(s) to support:

• 511• In-vehicle information• Traveler information• Highway operations• Control systems• Weather Prediction• Road Condition Prediction• Etc.

Weather Improvements Enabled by VII(some examples)

Weather Improvements Enabled by VII(some examples)

• Reducing radar anomalous propagation• Reducing false radar returns (e.g., virga)• Identification of precipitation type• Improved delineation of freezing temperatures• Improved localization of air temperature• Improved identification of foggy regions• Improved data for high-resolution weather models• Improved boundary characterization for hazardous

plume emergency (evacuation response)

Radar Based Precipitation IdentificationRadar Based Precipitation Identification

• False precipitation echoes are caused by temperature inversions (index of refraction gradients)

• Vehicle data (e.g., wiper settings) could be used to declare “yes or no” and be used to clean up the radar product.

Anomalous Propagation – False Echoes

Des Moines, Iowa

Radar Based Precipitation IdentificationRadar Based Precipitation Identification

• Virga (precipitation that does not reach the ground) fools DOT personnel who must make tactical decisions related to winter maintenance and traffic management.

• Vehicle observations (e.g., wiper settings) could verify the occurrence of precipitation which would be used to clean up the data.

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

WipersOff

Virga – Precipitation not hitting the ground

Diagnosis of Precipitation TypeDiagnosis of Precipitation Type

• Currently, precipitation type is determined by airport observations (METARS) which are few and far between!

• Vehicle data (air temperature, and data from maintenance or patrol vehicles) would greatly improve product accuracy.

Typical precipitation type products

Snow

Mixed

Rain

Snow

Snow

Snow

Rain

Rain

Rain

Snow

Snow

Snow

Rain

Identification of Foggy RegionsIdentification of Foggy Regions

• The use of vehicle data (relative humidity, fog and head lamp settings, speed, and brake data) coupled with other data sets (e.g., satellite, surface analysis data) could be used to diagnose areas where fog is likely.

• This product concept is challenging!

RH: 98%Lights: OnBrakes: YesSpeed: 40 mph

RH: 100%Lights: OnBrakes: YesSpeed: 30 mph

RH: 45%Lights: OffBrakes: NoSpeed: 65 mph

RH: 50%Lights: OffBrakes: NoSpeed: 65 mph

RH: 98%Lights: OnBrakes: NoSpeed: 35 mph

Improved High-Resolution ModelingImproved High-Resolution Modeling

• As weather models increase in resolution, observations will need to increase as well to better define the regional/local state of the atmosphere.

• Vehicle observations can fill-in the gaps in the fixed observation network.

• Surface temperature, pressure, and water vapor are critical state variables

Data sparse regions

Weather occurs on very fine scales

Defining Atmospheric Vertical ProfilesDefining Atmospheric Vertical Profiles

• Vehicle observations in complex terrain can provide important vertical information such as:– Freezing level (air temp)– Cloud top– Air temperature profiles– RH profiles– Road temperature profiles

• Vehicle data are like mini-soundings that could be used by models and to support tactical operations.

+7

Temperature

Water vapor

NocturnalInversion

Boundary Layer CharacterizationBoundary Layer Characterization

• Vehicle data can be used to improve the characterization of the atmospheric boundary layer.

• This will improve the accuracy of plume dispersion products and hence emergency operations – such as evacuation.

Road Condition Improvements Enabled by VII(some examples)

Road Condition Improvements Enabled by VII(some examples)

• Improved identification of treated roads (anti-icing)• Improved identification of road conditions• Improve knowledge of road and rail temperatures

Winter Maintenance OperationsWinter Maintenance Operations

Winter maintenance vehicle data entry interface and MDSS treatment screen.

Material Black IceRoad Condition Snow on RoadWeather

• Vehicle data can be used to diagnose weather and road conditions and actual treatments.

• The resultant data could then be automatically used in decision support systems such as the winter Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS)

Actual winter maintenance treatments automatically

entered into systems such as the MDSS

Road Condition ReportingRoad Condition Reporting

• Vehicle data can be used to diagnose road conditions and supplement call-in observations.

• The resultant improved products would serve operational systems such as:– 511– HARS– MDSS– Traffic management– Incident management– Traveler web sites– Traveler kiosks

Iowa State Patrol calls-in road conditions in Iowa.

Surface Temperature GradientsSurface Temperature Gradients

• Knowledge of very near surface (<2 meter) temperatures can be used to predict potential for rail separation and buckling

• This is critical for rail and transit operations.

Rail Temperature & Weather DSS - Jim Bertrand, Calgary, Canada

Rail & Transit Hazards

SummarySummary

At this time, we can only begin to imagine the improved weather and road condition safety and consumer applications that will be enabled through VII.

Weather Hazard Products- High winds

- Tornado

- Fog

- Heavy snow, rain, hail, etc.

Road Hazard Products

- Black ice

- Snow drifting

- FloodingReal-time GraphicalWeather Information

Here