Weather Radars

Abstract

Weather radar is the most indispensable tool for remote sensing of clouds and precipitation. This chapter provides a conceptual overview of the principles of dual-polarization Doppler weather radar, beginning with a fresh perspective on the fundamentals of electromagnetic scattering for individual nonspherical particles. Scattering by a population of particles and the equivalent reflectivity factor are then introduced, followed by the Doppler principle and Doppler velocity estimation. A basic overview of the radar system is also provided. The chapter concludes by introducing the dual-polarization radar variables and their physical interpretation, followed by a survey of the numerous polarimetric Doppler weather radar applications, highlighting novel research avenues for improved understanding of clouds and precipitation.