Radar polarimetry for weather observations

Abstract

This monograph offers a wide array of contemporary information on weather radar polarimetry and its applications. The book tightly connects the microphysical processes responsible for the development and evolution of the clouds' bulk physical properties to the polarimetric variables, and contains the procedures on how to simulate realistic polarimetric variables. With up-to-date polarimetric methodologies and applications, the book will appeal to practicing radar meteorologists, hydrologists, microphysicists, and modelers who are interested in the bulk properties of hydrometeors and quantification of these with the goals to improve precipitation measurements, understanding of precipitation processes, or model forecasts. Intro; Preface; Contents; Abbreviations; Chapter 1: Polarization, Scattering, and Propagation of Electromagnetic Waves; 1.1 Polarization State of Electromagnetic Wave; 1.2 Scattering by a Single Particle; 1.3 Propagation Effects; References; Chapter 2: Polarimetric Doppler Radar; 2.1 Pulsed Doppler Radar; 2.2 Polarimetric Doppler Radar; 2.3 Relations Between Fields and Voltages; 2.4 Doppler Shift and Differential Phase; 2.5 Measurements of Single-Particle Scattering; References; Chapter 3: Scattering by Ensemble of Hydrometeors: Polarimetric Perspective; 3.1 Range Weighting Function 3.2 Powers and Correlations: Ensemble of Scatterers3.2.1 Powers; 3.2.2 Correlations; 3.2.2.1 Simultaneous SHV Mode (No Coupling on Propagation Path); 3.2.2.2 H Transmitted and Simultaneous H and V Received, HSHV Mode of Operations; 3.2.2.3 V Transmitted and Simultaneous V and H Received, VSVH; 3.3 Polarimetric Variables: Definitions; 3.3.1 Simultaneous Transmission/Reception (SHV) Mode; 3.3.1.1 Equivalent Reflectivity Factor; 3.3.1.2 Differential Reflectivity; 3.3.1.3 Cross-Correlation Coefficient; 3.3.2 HSHV and VSVH Modes; 3.4 Effects of Particle Orientations 4.3.2 Aspect Ratio of Ice Crystals4.3.3 Aspect Ratios of Dry Aggregated Snowflakes and Dry Graupel and Hail; 4.3.4 Aspect Ratio of Melting Crystals and Snow; 4.3.5 Aspect Ratio of Melting Graupel and Hail; 4.3.6 Orientations of Hydrometeors; 4.4 Dielectric Properties of Hydrometeors; 4.4.1 Dielectric Constant of Fresh Water and Solid Ice; 4.4.2 Dielectric Constant of Dry Snow, Graupel, and Hail; 4.4.3 Dielectric Constant of Wet Snow; 4.4.4 Dielectric Constant of Wet Graupel and Hail; References; Chapter 5: Polarimetric Variables 5.1 Scattering Amplitudes and Cross Sections in the Rayleigh Approximation5.2 Reflectivity; 5.2.1 Rayleigh Formulas for Reflectivity; 5.2.2 Reflectivity of Raindrops; 5.2.3 Reflectivity of Frozen Particles; 5.2.4 Reflectivity of Mixed-Phase Hydrometeors; 5.3 Differential Reflectivity; 5.3.1 Differential Reflectivity in the Rayleigh Approximation; 5.3.2 Differential Reflectivity of Raindrops; 5.3.3 Differential Reflectivity of Frozen Particles; 5.3.4 Differential Reflectivity of Mixed-Phase Hydrometeors; 5.4 Specific Differential Phase