Azimuth Resolution; Angular Resolution Effect On Vertical Resolution - Honeywell IntuVue RDR-4000 Pilot's Manual

IntuVue RDR-4000 Weather Radar Pilot's Guide

AZIMUTH RESOLUTION

Azimuth resolution is a function of the beam width. When two targets
are closely adjacent in azimuth and at the same range, the radar may
display them as a single target. However, as the targets are
approached they appear to separate. The ability of the radar system to
resolve these targets is a function of the antenna's beam width and the
range of the target. The limited azimuth resolution also results in storm
cells that will tend to appear to be wider in azimuth than the actual
width. The increase in apparent azimuth width increases with
increasing range.

ANGULAR RESOLUTION EFFECT ON VERTICAL RESOLUTION

Beam width also has a range-dependent effect on the vertical resolution
of weather. The typical effect is to cause the apparent echo tops of the
weather to be increasingly higher in altitude than the true echo top as
range increases. Although the tops of distant storms may actually be
lower than displayed, any decision regarding ability to overfly distant
cells should consider the potential for the tops of growing convective
cells to be higher than expected when the aircraft reaches the cell
location.
D201002000008 Principles of Weather Radar Use
Rev 1, December 2014 43