Theoretical study of radar polarization parameters obtained from cirrus clouds

Abstract

Results suggest that prolate-shaped scatterers can be distinguished from those having oblate shapes by analyzing the depolarization ratio dependence on the elevation angle. Calculations suggest that circular polarization parameters provide stronger signals in a cross-polar channel and also show a lesser dependence on scatterer orientation in comparison with linear polarization parameters. Propagation effects do not significantly affect the polarization parameters for equivalent water contents and cloud thicknesses that are typical for cirrus clouds. Finally, equivalent reflectivity factors are analyzed for several ice particles types as a function of their major axis. Reflectivity dependence on particle shapes is demonstrated, and comments on the possibility of making approximate estimates of cloud particle sizes are given. -from Author