Attenuation correction constraint for single-polarisation weather radar

Abstract

A new method of constraining divergent attenuation corrections for weather radar systems is presented. This was motivated by the need for reliable attenuation corrections when making quantitative precipitation estimates using a small, mobile X-band radar at short range. The approach is suitable for systems requiring attenuation correction in real-time and requires no auxiliary data. An outline of the literature on attenuation and its correction for single-polarisation weather radar is presented. The traditional form of correction is known to be problematic due to the divergence, which may occur in its estimation. The form of constraint presented is based on the representation of attenuation correction originally derived for space-borne radar configurations. This method determines when divergent estimates will occur and allows a more realistic application of the constrained correction. Examples of attenuation correction applied to X-band radar observations in comparison with ground clutter returns are presented, showing good agreement and hence good absolute calibration. Selected profiles are then used to determine the influence of measurement errors on attenuation estimation in the context of this representation. The paper concludes with a discussion of the practical limitations and considerations in applying an attenuation correction to quantitative weather radar rainfall estimates.