scholarly journals Improving Polarimetric C-Band Radar Rainfall Estimation with Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer Observations in Eastern China

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1375-1391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gang Chen ◽  
Kun Zhao ◽  
Guifu Zhang ◽  
Hao Huang ◽  
Su Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Squall Line ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Radar Rainfall ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Differential Reflectivity

Abstract In this study, the capability of using a C-band polarimetric Doppler radar and a two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) to estimate monsoon-influenced summer rainfall during the Observation, Prediction and Analysis of Severe Convection of China (OPACC) field campaign in 2014 and 2015 in eastern China is investigated. Three different rainfall R estimators, for reflectivity at horizontal polarization [R(Zh)], for reflectivity at horizontal polarization and differential reflectivity factor [R(Zh, Zdr)], and for specific differential phase [R(KDP)], are derived from 2-yr 2DVD observations of summer precipitation systems. The radar-estimated rainfall is compared to gauge observations from eight rainfall episodes. Results show that the two polarimetric estimators, R(Zh, Zdr) and R(KDP), perform better than the traditional Zh–R relation [i.e., R(Zh)]. The KDP-based estimator [i.e., R(KDP)] produces the best rainfall accumulations. The radar rainfall estimators perform differently across the three organized convective systems (mei-yu rainband, typhoon rainband, and squall line). Estimator R(Zh) overestimates rainfall in the mei-yu rainband and squall line, and R(Zh, Zdr) mitigates the overestimation in the mei-yu rainband but has a large bias in the squall line. QPE from R(KDP) is the most accurate among the three estimators, but it possesses a relatively large bias for the squall line compared to the mei-yu case. The high variability of drop size distribution (DSD) related to the precipitation microphysics in different types of rain is largely responsible for the case-dependent QPE performance using any single radar rainfall estimator. The squall line has a distinct ice-phase process with a large mean size of raindrops, while the mei-yu rainband and typhoon rainband are composed of smaller raindrops. Based on the statistical QPE error in the ZH–ZDR space, a new composite rainfall estimator is constructed by combining R(Zh), R(Zh, Zdr), and R(KDP) and is proven to outperform any single rainfall estimator.

scholarly journals Comparative Evaluation of the OTT PARSIVEL2 Using a Collocated Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 2059-2082 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-G. Park ◽  
Hae-Lim Kim ◽  
Young-Woong Ham ◽  
Sung-Hwa Jung
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Rainfall ◽  
Drop Diameter ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Radar Rainfall ◽  
Rain Gauges ◽  
Empirical Relations ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Events ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Differential Reflectivity

AbstractThe performance of the OTT second-generation Particle Size Velocity (PARSIVEL2) laser weather sensor is evaluated by comparing it with a collocated two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) and rain gauges using data collected over a total of 36 rain events. A comparison of raindrop size distributions (DSDs) between the 2DVD and two PARSIVEL2 reveals good agreement for weak rainfall rates below approximately 10 mm h−1 and for midsize drops with diameters between 0.6 and 4.0 mm irrespective of rainfall rates, whereas the PARSIVEL2 produces overestimations of large drops with diameters above 4 mm during heavy rainfall above approximately 20 mm h−1. The resultant DSD parameters of the PARSIVEL2 present overestimations of the mean diameter Dm in the normalized gamma function and the maximum drop diameter Dmax, and underestimations of the intercept parameter Nw and total number of drops NT. Furthermore, how the characteristics of DSDs from the PARSIVEL2 affect the polarimetric radar variables, such as differential reflectivity ZDR and specific differential phase KDP, is examined, as well as how these characteristics affect empirical relations required in radar hydrometeorological applications such as quantitative rainfall estimations. Based on these examinations, it can be concluded that the OTT PARSIVEL2 still produces overestimations of large drops and underestimations of small drops during heavy rainfall, similar to older models of PARSIVEL, despite significant improvements to the PARSIVEL2 system, and furthermore that the uses of PARSIVEL2 measurements can act as a source of error in radar hydrometeorological applications such as radar rainfall estimations.

scholarly journals Microphysical Characteristics of Overshooting Convection from Polarimetric Radar Observations

2015 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 870-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron R. Homeyer ◽  
Matthew R. Kumjian
Keyword(s):  
Deep Convection ◽  
Composite Analysis ◽  
Polarimetric Radar ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Convective Storms ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Extratropical Tropopause ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
Frequent Presence

Abstract The authors present observations of the microphysical characteristics of deep convection that overshoots the altitude of the extratropical tropopause from analysis of the polarimetric radar variables of radar reflectivity factor at horizontal polarization ZH, differential reflectivity ZDR, and specific differential phase KDP. Identified overshooting convective storms are separated by their organization and intensity into three classifications: organized convection, discrete ordinary convection, and discrete supercell convection. Composite analysis of identified storms for each classification reveals microphysical features similar to those found in previous studies of deep convection, with deep columns of highly positive ZDR and KDP representing lofting of liquid hydrometeors within the convective updraft and above the melting level. In addition, organized and discrete supercell classifications show distinct near-zero ZDR minima aligned horizontally with and at altitudes higher than the updraft column features, likely indicative of the frequent presence of large hail in each case. Composites for organized convective systems show a similar ZDR minimum throughout the portion of the convective core that is overshooting the tropopause, corresponding to ZH in the range of 15–30 dBZ and negative KDP observations, in agreement with the scattering properties of small hail and/or lump or conical graupel. Additional analyses of the evolution of overshooting storms reveals that the ZDR minima indicative of hail in the middle and upper troposphere and graupel in the overshooting top are associated with the mature and decaying stages of overshooting, respectively, supporting their inferred contributions to the observed polarimetric fields.

Microphysical Insights into Ice Pellet Formation Revealed by Fully Polarimetric Ka-Band Doppler Radar

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (10) ◽  
pp. 1557-1580
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Kumjian ◽  
Dana M. Tobin ◽  
Mariko Oue ◽  
Pavlos Kollias
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Ice Crystals ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Ka Band ◽  
Pellet Formation ◽  
Linear Depolarization Ratio ◽  
Differential Reflectivity

AbstractFully polarimetric scanning and vertically pointing Doppler spectral data from the state-of-the-art Stony Brook University Ka-band Scanning Polarimetric Radar (KASPR) are analyzed for a long-duration case of ice pellets over central Long Island in New York from 12 February 2019. Throughout the period of ice pellets, a classic refreezing signature was present, consisting of a secondary enhancement of differential reflectivity ZDR beneath the melting layer within a region of decreasing reflectivity factor at horizontal polarization ZH and reduced copolar correlation coefficient ρhv. The KASPR radar data allow for evaluation of previously proposed hypotheses to explain the refreezing signature. It is found that, upon entering a layer of locally generated columnar ice crystals and undergoing contact nucleation, smaller raindrops preferentially refreeze into ice pellets prior to the complete freezing of larger drops. Refreezing particles exhibit deformations in shape during freezing, leading to reduced ρhv, reduced co-to-cross-polar correlation coefficient ρxh, and enhanced linear depolarization ratio, but these shape changes do not explain the ZDR signature. The presence of columnar ice crystals, though apparently crucial for instigating the refreezing process, does not contribute enough backscattered power to affect the ZDR signature, either.

scholarly journals An Automatic Recognition Method for Airflow Field Structures of Convective Systems Based on Single Doppler Radar Data

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Ping Wang ◽  
Kai Gu ◽  
Jinyi Hou ◽  
Bingjie Dou
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Radar Data ◽  
Automatic Recognition ◽  
Squall Line ◽  
Appearance Model ◽  
Recognition Method ◽  
Convective Systems ◽  
Doppler Radar Data ◽  
Airflow Field

Airflow structures within convective systems are important predictors of damaging convective disasters. To automatically recognize different kinds of airflow structures (the convergence, divergence, cyclonic rotation, and anticyclonic rotation) within convective systems, an airflow structure recognition method is proposed, in this paper, based on a regular hexagonal template. On the basis of single Doppler radar data, the template is designed according to the appearance model of airflows in radial velocity maps. The proposed method is able to output types and intensities of airflow structures within convective systems. In addition, the outputs of the proposed method are integrated into a projection map of the airflow field structure types and intensities (PMAFSTI), which is developed in this work to visualize three-dimensional airflow structures within convective cells. The proposed airflow structure automatic recognition method and the PMAFSTI were tested using three typical cases. Results of the tests suggest the following: (1) At different evolution stages of the convective systems, e.g., growth, split, and dissipation, the three-dimensional distribution of the airflow fields within convective systems could be clearly observed through the PMAFSTI and (2) on the basis of recognizing the structures of the airflow field, the complex airflow field, such as a squall line, could be further divided into several small parts making the analysis of convective systems more scientific and elaborate.

scholarly journals Trade Wind Cloud Evolution Observed by Polarization Radar: Relationship to Giant Condensation Nuclei Concentrations and Cloud Organization

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 1075-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilary A. Minor ◽  
Robert M. Rauber ◽  
Sabine Göke ◽  
Larry Di Girolamo
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Trade Wind ◽  
High Threshold ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Shallow Marine ◽  
Rain Drop ◽  
Differential Reflectivity

Abstract Shallow marine trade wind cumuli are one of the most prevalent cloud types in the tropical atmosphere. Understanding how precipitation forms within these clouds is necessary to advance our knowledge concerning their role in climate. This paper presents a statistical analysis of the characteristic heights and times at which precipitation in trade wind clouds passes through distinct stages in its evolution as defined by the equivalent radar reflectivity factor at horizontal polarization ZH, the differential reflectivity ZDR, and the spatial correlation between and averages of these variables. The data were obtained during the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field campaign by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) S-band dual-polarization (S-Pol) Doppler radar, the National Science Foundation (NSF)–NCAR C130 aircraft, and soundings launched near the radar. The data consisted of 76 trade cumuli that were tracked from early echo development through rainout on six days during RICO. Trade wind clouds used in the statistical analyses were segregated based on giant condensation nuclei (GCN) measurements made during low-level aircraft flight legs on the six days. This study found that the rate of precipitation formation in shallow marine cumulus was unrelated to the GCN concentration in the ambient environment. Instead, the rate at which precipitation developed in the clouds appeared to be related to the mesoscale forcing as suggested by the cloud organization. Although GCN had no influence on the rate of precipitation development, the data suggest that they do contribute to a modification of the rain drop size distribution within the clouds. With very few exceptions, high threshold values of ZDR were found well above cloud base on days with high GCN concentrations. On the days that were exceptions, these threshold values were almost always achieved near cloud base.

scholarly journals The Effect of Clustering on the Uncertainty of Differential Reflectivity Measurements

2008 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 2816-2827 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Jameson ◽  
A. B. Kostinski
Keyword(s):  
Radar Data ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Rainfall Estimation ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Radar Rainfall ◽  
Underlying Assumption ◽  
Monte Carlo Experiments ◽  
Meteorological Radar ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
New Framework

Abstract One of the most important avenues of recent meteorological radar research is the application of polarization techniques to improve radar rainfall estimation. A keystone in many of these methods is the so-called differential reflectivity ZDR, the ratio of the reflectivity factor ZH at horizontal polarization backscattered from a horizontally polarized transmission to that corresponding to a vertically polarized transmission ZV. For such quantitative applications, it is important to understand the statistical accuracy of observations of ZDR. The underlying assumption of all past estimations of meteorological radar uncertainties is that the signals obey Rayleigh statistics. It is now evident, however, that as a radar scans, the meteorological conditions no longer always satisfy the requirements for Rayleigh statistics. In this work, ZDR is reconsidered, but this time within the new framework of non-Rayleigh signal statistics. Using Monte Carlo experiments, it is found that clustering of the scatterers multiplies the standard deviation of ZDR beyond what is always calculated assuming Rayleigh statistics. The magnitude of this enhancement depends on the magnitudes of the clustering index and of the cross correlation between ZH and ZV. Also, it does not depend upon the number of independent samples in an ensemble estimate. An example using real radar data in convective showers suggests that non-Rayleigh signal statistics should be taken into account in future implementations of polarization radar rainfall estimation techniques using ZDR. At the very least, it is time to begin to document the prevalence and magnitude of the clustering index in a wide variety of meteorological conditions.

scholarly journals Rainfall estimation and ground clutter rejection with dual polarization weather radar

2006 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 127-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Lombardo ◽  
F. Napolitano ◽  
F. Russo ◽  
G. Scialanga ◽  
L. Baldini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Weather Radar ◽  
Radar Rainfall ◽  
Radar Meteorology ◽  
Ground Clutter ◽  
Clutter Rejection ◽  
Atmospheric Remote Sensing ◽  
Single Polarization ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
The City

Abstract. Conventional radars, used for atmospheric remote sensing, usually operate at a single polarization and frequency to estimate storm parameters such as rainfallrate and water content. Because of the high variability of the drop size distribution conventional radars do not succeed in obtaining detailed information because they just use horizontal reflectivity. The potentiality of the dual-polarized weather radar is investigated, in order to reject the ground-clutter, using differential reflectivity. In this light, a radar meteorology campaign was conducted over the city of Rome (Italy), collecting measurements by the polarimetric Doppler radar Polar 55C and by a raingauge network. The goodness of the results is tested by comparison of radar rainfall estimates with raingauges rainfall measurements.

scholarly journals Simulation study on the indirect effect of sulfate on the summer climate over the eastern China monsoon region

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongdong Wang ◽  
Bin Zhu ◽  
Hongbo Wang ◽  
Li Sun
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Cloud Condensation Nuclei ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
Cloud Droplet ◽  
Monsoon Region ◽  
Liquid Water Path ◽  
Surface Cooling ◽  
Community Atmosphere Model

AbstractIn this study, we designed a sensitivity test using the half number concentration of sulfate in the nucleation calculation process to study the aerosol-cloud interaction (ACI) of sulfate on clouds, precipitation, and monsoon intensity in the summer over the eastern China monsoon region (ECMR) with the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model version 5. Numerical experiments show that the ACI of sulfate led to an approximately 30% and 34% increase in the cloud condensation nuclei and cloud droplet number concentrations, respectively. Cloud droplet effective radius below 850 hPa decreased by approximately 4% in the southern ECMR, while the total liquid water path increased by 11%. The change in the indirect radiative forcing due to sulfate at the top of the atmosphere in the ECMR during summer was − 3.74 W·m−2. The decreased radiative forcing caused a surface cooling of 0.32 K and atmospheric cooling of approximately 0.3 K, as well as a 0.17 hPa increase in sea level pressure. These changes decreased the thermal difference between the land and sea and the gradient of the sea-land pressure, leading to a weakening in the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and a decrease in the total precipitation rate in the southern ECMR. The cloud lifetime effect has a relatively weaker contribution to summer precipitation, which is dominated by convection. The results show that the ACI of sulfate was one possible reason for the weakening of the EASM in the late 1970s.

scholarly journals Roles of anthropogenic forcings in the observed trend of decreasing late-summer precipitation over the East Asian transitional climate zone

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhao ◽  
Wen Chen ◽  
Shangfeng Chen ◽  
Hainan Gong ◽  
Tianjiao Ma
Keyword(s):  
Asian Summer Monsoon ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Summer Precipitation ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Water Vapor Transport ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Climate Zone ◽  
Drying Trend

AbstractObservations indicate that late-summer precipitation over the East Asian transitional climate zone (TCZ) showed a pronounced decreasing trend during 1951–2005. This study examines the relative contributions of anthropogenic [including anthropogenic aerosol (AA) and greenhouse gas (GHG)] and natural forcings to the drying trend of the East Asian TCZ based on simulations from CMIP5. The results indicate that AA forcing plays a dominant role in contributing to the drying trend of the TCZ. AA forcing weakens the East Asian summer monsoon via reducing the land-sea thermal contrast, which induces strong low-level northerly anomalies over eastern China, suppresses water vapor transport from southern oceans and results in drier conditions over the TCZ. In contrast, GHG forcing leads to a wetting trend in the TCZ by inducing southerly wind anomalies, thereby offsetting the effect of the AA forcing. Natural forcing has a weak impact on the drying trend of the TCZ due to the weak response of atmospheric anomalies.

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