Performance of the future spaceborne dual-wavelength radar for rain and snow observation

Nanda Bikram Adhikari; Kenji Nakamura

doi:10.1117/12.410590

21 December 2000 Performance of the future spaceborne dual-wavelength radar for rain and snow observation

Nanda Bikram Adhikari, Kenji Nakamura

Proceedings Volume 4152, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410590
Event: Second International Asia-Pacific Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere, Environment, and Space, 2000, Sendai, Japan

Abstract

A strong candidate for the next generation spaceborne rain radar is a dual-wavelength one. The performance of the radar was studied. First, the sensitivity of the shorter wavelength radar was investigated. Based on the data taken by a single-wavelength precipitation radar aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, the frequency distribution of the received power of the shorter wavelength radar was calculated assuming typical rain attenuation. If the receiver noise level is equivalently about 10 dBZ, the missing rain fraction is about 15.41% over land and 3.22% over ocean. Second, the accuracy of the rainrate estimate was studied based on disdrometer measured data. The intrinsic radar signal fluctuation, the Mie scattering effect and receiver noise effect were incorporated. The result shows good potential for accurate rainrate estimate. Third, rainrate estimate of dry snow was investigated. Based on the disdrometer data, snow particle distribution was generated using non-coalescence, non-breakup assumption. After using an empirical relationship between snow density and particle size, a rainrate retrieval formula for snow was proposed. It was also shown that dual-wavelength radar has a good capability for discrimination of snow from rain.

Citation Download Citation

Nanda Bikram Adhikari and Kenji Nakamura "Performance of the future spaceborne dual-wavelength radar for rain and snow observation", Proc. SPIE 4152, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II, (21 December 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.410590

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KEYWORDS

Radar

Signal attenuation

Meteorology

Reflectivity

Interference (communication)

Particles

Mie scattering

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