Abstract
The results of a field program using a polarization diversity lidar system to study high plains thunderstorm precipitation are given. The presence of “reflectivity” bright bands of the general form predicted by a numerical simulation indicates that ice prune precipitation processes were predominantly acting in the storm studied. Depolarization profiles through the melting region, evaluated on the basis of CW laser scattering measurements, are shown to aid in the discrimination of the ice particle types causing the bright bands. Depolarization and returned energy signatures due to graupel were present primarily during the developing stage, consistent with recent findings in northeastern Colorado. However, melting snowflake signatures were predominantly observed during the mature thunderstorm stage, suggesting that the contribution to thunderstorm rainfall from the ice crystal aggregation process has been generally underestimated.
It is also significant that the use of lidar in this study in a manner similar to microwave radar indicates the potential of the lidar depolarization technique for future operational programs of atmospheric research.
