Microphysical interpretation of multi-parameter radar measurements in rain. Part I: interpretation of polarization measurements and estimation of raindrop shapes.

Abstract

In this study, the sensitivity of some linear and circular polarization measurables to the mean and variance of the raindrop axis ratio distribution is investigated. These measurables are then used to formulate estimators of radar-power-weighted mean axis ratio and variances. These estimators appear to be applicable to a wide variety of drop size distributions.-from Author