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Circular polarization for precipitation measurement
Author(s) -
Torlaschi E.,
Humphries R. G.,
Barge B. L.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
radio science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.371
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1944-799X
pISSN - 0048-6604
DOI - 10.1029/rs019i001p00193
Subject(s) - precipitation , radar , precipitation types , storm , environmental science , polarization (electrochemistry) , reflectivity , weather radar , remote sensing , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , rain rate , winter storm , geology , physics , optics , telecommunications , computer science , chemistry
A polarization diversity S band radar has operated for the past 15 years in Alberta, Canada, to study precipitation, particularly severe storms. Theoretical and observational studies demonstrate that the radar reflectivity factor together with the degree of orientation of the precipitation can be used to determine the contributions rain and hail make to the total precipitation rate. As a result, measurements of total precipitation when mixtures of rain and hail are present are improved over measurements using solely the reflectivity factor.