Open AccessFreezing-Level Estimation with Polarimetric Radar
Author(s) -
Edward A. Brandes,
Kyoko Ikeda
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of applied meteorology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1520-0450
pISSN - 0894-8763
DOI - 10.1175/jam2155.1
Subject(s) - radar , polarimetry , remote sensing , geology , precipitation , environmental science , meteorology , computer science , optics , physics , scattering , telecommunications
A simple empirical procedure for determining freezing levels with polarimetric radar measurements is described. The algorithm takes advantage of the strong melting-layer signatures and the redundancy provided by the suite of polarimetric radar measurements—in particular, radar reflectivity, linear depolarization ratio, and cross-correlation coefficient. Freezing-level designations can be made with all volumetric scanning strategies. Application to uniform (stratiform) precipitation within 60 km of the radar and with brightband reflectivity maxima of greater than 25 dBZ suggests an accuracy of 100–200 m.