Article Type:
Research Article

Detectable Rain Range of Spaceborne Ka-band Radar Estimated from TRMM Precipitation Radar Data

Nanda Bikram Adhikari Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

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Kenji Nakamura Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 2002
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<1878:DRROSK>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
1878–1885
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Abstract

A 14/35-GHz dual-wavelength radar is expected to be one of the next-generation spaceborne rain radars. The effect of rain attenuation at higher-frequency (35 GHz) radar with different minimum sensitivities was investigated through simulation. Based on the data taken by a single-wavelength (13.8 GHz) precipitation radar (PR) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, the frequency distribution of the received power of the shorter-wavelength radar was first calculated through simulation. If the receiver minimum noise threshold is equivalent to about 10 dBZ, the missing fraction of near-surface rain due to attenuation degrading the signal below the noise threshold is about 15% over land and 3% over ocean compared to the PR.

Corresponding author address: Nanda Bikram Adhikari, Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan. Email: adhikari@ihas.nagoya-u.ac.jp

Abstract

A 14/35-GHz dual-wavelength radar is expected to be one of the next-generation spaceborne rain radars. The effect of rain attenuation at higher-frequency (35 GHz) radar with different minimum sensitivities was investigated through simulation. Based on the data taken by a single-wavelength (13.8 GHz) precipitation radar (PR) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, the frequency distribution of the received power of the shorter-wavelength radar was first calculated through simulation. If the receiver minimum noise threshold is equivalent to about 10 dBZ, the missing fraction of near-surface rain due to attenuation degrading the signal below the noise threshold is about 15% over land and 3% over ocean compared to the PR.

Corresponding author address: Nanda Bikram Adhikari, Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan. Email: adhikari@ihas.nagoya-u.ac.jp

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