Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Measurements and Simulations of Nadir-Viewing Radar Returns from the Melting Layer at X and W Bands

Liang Liao Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland

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Robert Meneghini NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

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Lin Tian Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland

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Gerald M. Heymsfield NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2009
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2009JAMC2033.1
Page(s):
2215–2226
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Abstract

Simulated radar signatures within the melting layer in stratiform rain—namely, the radar bright band—are checked by means of comparisons with simultaneous measurements of the bright band made by the ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP; X band) and Cloud Radar System (CRS; W band) airborne Doppler radars during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida-Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) campaign in 2002. A stratified-sphere model, allowing the fractional water content to vary along the radius of the particle, is used to compute the scattering properties of individual melting snowflakes. Using the effective dielectric constants computed by the conjugate gradient–fast Fourier transform numerical method for X and W bands and expressing the fractional water content of a melting particle as an exponential function in particle radius, it is found that at X band the simulated radar brightband profiles are in an excellent agreement with the measured profiles. It is also found that the simulated W-band profiles usually resemble the shapes of the measured brightband profiles even though persistent offsets between them are present. These offsets, however, can be explained by the attenuation caused by cloud water and water vapor at W band. This is confirmed by comparisons of the radar profiles made in the rain regions where the unattenuated W-band reflectivity profiles can be estimated through the X- and W-band Doppler velocity measurements. The brightband model described in this paper has the potential to be used effectively for both radar and radiometer algorithms relevant to the satellite-based Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and Global Precipitation Measuring Mission.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Liang Liao, Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center/UMBC, Code 613.1, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771. Email: liang.liao-1@nasa.gov

Abstract

Simulated radar signatures within the melting layer in stratiform rain—namely, the radar bright band—are checked by means of comparisons with simultaneous measurements of the bright band made by the ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP; X band) and Cloud Radar System (CRS; W band) airborne Doppler radars during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers–Florida-Area Cirrus Experiment (CRYSTAL-FACE) campaign in 2002. A stratified-sphere model, allowing the fractional water content to vary along the radius of the particle, is used to compute the scattering properties of individual melting snowflakes. Using the effective dielectric constants computed by the conjugate gradient–fast Fourier transform numerical method for X and W bands and expressing the fractional water content of a melting particle as an exponential function in particle radius, it is found that at X band the simulated radar brightband profiles are in an excellent agreement with the measured profiles. It is also found that the simulated W-band profiles usually resemble the shapes of the measured brightband profiles even though persistent offsets between them are present. These offsets, however, can be explained by the attenuation caused by cloud water and water vapor at W band. This is confirmed by comparisons of the radar profiles made in the rain regions where the unattenuated W-band reflectivity profiles can be estimated through the X- and W-band Doppler velocity measurements. The brightband model described in this paper has the potential to be used effectively for both radar and radiometer algorithms relevant to the satellite-based Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission and Global Precipitation Measuring Mission.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Liang Liao, Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center/UMBC, Code 613.1, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771. Email: liang.liao-1@nasa.gov

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Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

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