scholarly journals Potential Utilization of Specific Attenuation for Rainfall Estimation, Mitigation of Partial Beam Blockage, and Radar Networking

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 599-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Ryzhkov ◽  
Malte Diederich ◽  
Pengfei Zhang ◽  
Clemens Simmer
Keyword(s):  
Radial Profile ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rainfall Estimation ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
X Band ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Drop Size Distributions ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Rain Rates

Abstract The potential utilization of specific attenuation A for rainfall estimation, mitigation of partial beam blockage, and radar networking is investigated. The R(A) relation is less susceptible to the variability of drop size distributions than traditional rainfall algorithms based on radar reflectivity Z, differential reflectivity ZDR, and specific differential phase KDP in a wide range of rain intensity. Specific attenuation is estimated from the radial profile of the measured Z and the total span of the differential phase using the ZPHI method. Since the estimated A is immune to reflectivity biases caused by radar miscalibration, attenuation, partial beam blockage, and wet radomes, rain retrieval from R(A) is also immune to the listed factors. The R(A) method was tested at X band using data collected by closely located radars in Germany and at S band for polarimetrically upgraded Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) radars in the United States. It is demonstrated that the two adjacent X-band radars—one of which is miscalibrated and another which is affected by partial beam blockage—produce almost indistinguishable fields of rain rate. It is also shown that the R(A) method yields robust estimates of rain rates and rain totals at S band, where specific attenuation is vanishingly small. The X- and S-band estimates of rainfall obtained from R(A) are in good agreement with gauges.

scholarly journals A Prototype Quantitative Precipitation Estimation Algorithm for Operational S-Band Polarimetric Radar Utilizing Specific Attenuation and Specific Differential Phase. Part II: Performance Verification and Case Study Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 999-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Cocks ◽  
Lin Tang ◽  
Pengfei Zhang ◽  
Alexander Ryzhkov ◽  
Brian Kaney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Estimation Algorithm ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Quantitative Precipitation Estimation ◽  
Precipitation Estimation ◽  
Bias Ratio ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Precipitation Events

Abstract The quantitative precipitation estimate (QPE) algorithm developed and described in Part I was validated using data collected from 33 Weather Surveillance Radar 1988-Doppler (WSR-88D) radars on 37 calendar days east of the Rocky Mountains. A key physical parameter to the algorithm is the parameter alpha α, defined as the ratio of specific attenuation A to specific differential phase KDP. Examination of a significant sample of tropical and continental precipitation events indicated that α was sensitive to changes in drop size distribution and exhibited lower (higher) values when there were lower (higher) concentrations of larger (smaller) rain drops. As part of the performance assessment, the prototype algorithm generated QPEs utilizing a real-time estimated and a fixed α were created and evaluated. The results clearly indicated ~26% lower errors and a 26% better bias ratio with the QPE utilizing a real-time estimated α as opposed to using a fixed value as was done in previous studies. Comparisons between the QPE utilizing a real-time estimated α and the operational dual-polarization (dual-pol) QPE used on the WSR-88D radar network showed the former exhibited ~22% lower errors, 7% less bias, and 5% higher correlation coefficient when compared to quality controlled gauge totals. The new QPE also provided much better estimates for moderate to heavy precipitation events and performed better in regions of partial beam blockage than the operational dual-pol QPE.

scholarly journals Precipitation Classification and Quantification Using X-Band Dual-Polarization Weather Radar: Application in the Hydrometeorology Testbed

2013 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 2108-2120 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lim ◽  
R. Cifelli ◽  
V. Chandrasekar ◽  
S. Y. Matrosov
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Phase Retrieval ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Dual Polarization ◽  
Rainfall Estimation ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
Melting Region ◽  
X Band ◽  
Fuzzy Logic Technique

Abstract This paper presents new methods for rainfall estimation from X-band dual-polarization radar observations along with advanced techniques for quality control, hydrometeor classification, and estimation of specific differential phase. Data collected from the Hydrometeorology Testbed (HMT) in orographic terrain of California are used to demonstrate the methodology. The quality control and hydrometeor classification are specifically developed for X-band applications, which use a “fuzzy logic” technique constructed from the magnitude of the copolar correlation coefficient and the texture of differential propagation phase. In addition, an improved specific differential phase retrieval and rainfall estimation method are also applied. The specific differential phase estimation is done for both the melting region and rain region, where it uses a conventional filtering method for the melting region and a self-consistency-based method that distributes the total differential phase consistent with the reflectivity factor for the rain region. Based on the specific differential phase, rainfall estimations were computed using data obtained from the NOAA polarimetric X-band radar for hydrometeorology (HYDROX) and evaluated using HMT rain gauge observations. The results show that the methodology works well at capturing the high-frequency rainfall variations for the events analyzed herein and can be useful for mountainous terrain applications.

Comparison of Microphysical Characteristics between the Southern Korean Peninsula and Oklahoma Using Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 2675-2690
Author(s):  
Wonbae Bang ◽  
GyuWon Lee ◽  
Alexander Ryzhkov ◽  
Terry Schuur ◽  
Kyo-Sun Sunny Lim
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Korean Peninsula ◽  
Characteristic Number ◽  
The United States ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Rainfall Estimation ◽  
Differential Phase Shift ◽  
Microphysical Process ◽  
Specific Attenuation

AbstractDifferences in atmospheric environments can have a significant impact on microphysical processes of precipitation. Dominant warm (cold) rain processes in East Asia (southern Great Plains of the United States) are implied by a large (small or constant) gradient of reflectivity at low levels in vertical reflectivity profiles. Long-term ground observations using two-dimensional video disdrometers were conducted in the southern Korean Peninsula (KOR) and Norman, Oklahoma, United States (OKL). Raindrop size distributions (RSD) and their moments in the two regions were analyzed in the framework of scaling normalized RSDs. Results show that the concentrations of small (big) raindrops were higher (smaller) in KOR than in OKL. KOR RSDs were also found to be characterized by relatively high characteristic number concentrations and small characteristic diameters when compared to OKL RSDs. The increases with increasing in both KOR and OKL at lower Z with the opposite trend at higher Z. In addition, OKL RSDs with indicate the existence of an equilibrium between coalescence and breakup processes. Rainfall estimation relationships between the rain rate R and radar variables were retrieved from scattering simulations at S-, C-, and X-band wavelengths. KOR RSDs showed relatively small horizontal reflectivity and specific differential phase shift at the same R and same wavelength when compared to OKL RSDs. The regional dependency was significant due to the different microphysical process in KOR and OKL. The specific attenuation of KOR was, however, similar to that of OKL only at S band, indicating an advantage of using specific attenuation in S band in rainfall estimation.

Attenuation of neutron monitor radiation in the atmosphere

1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. S1006-S1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Carmichael ◽  
M. Bercovitch ◽  
M. A. Shea ◽  
M. Magidin ◽  
R. W. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Mexico City ◽  
Attenuation Coefficient ◽  
Neutron Monitor ◽  
Road Transport ◽  
The United States ◽  
Solar Proton ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Geomagnetic Cutoff ◽  
Using Data

An NM-64 neutron monitor latitude survey made by road transport in the summer of 1965 in Canada, the United States, and Mexico was extended, in the summer of 1966, to the western seaboard of the United States and Hawaii. In 1966 in the vicinity of Mt. Hood (2.43 GV), Palomar Mt. (5.71 GV), and Mt. Haleakela (13.3 GV) advantage was taken of the possibility of changing altitude without significant change of geomagnetic cutoff. At each of these places also a smaller lead polyethylene neutron monitor was flown at seven different pressure altitudes between 530 mm Hg and 140 mm Hg. The airborne monitor was calibrated in terms of the NM-64 when the transport van was at 10 000 ft on the summit of Haleakela. It was found that graphical smoothing of vertical trajectory cutoffs in latitude and longitude eliminated an unnatural kink in the latitude curve near Mexico City. The 1965 and 1966 rates were adjusted to May 12–13, 1965, the date of the IQSY maximum, using data from a fixed monitor and allowing for the dependence of the secular fluctuations on cutoff and altitude. The attenuation coefficient throughout the atmosphere was determined from the data and also a new specific attenuation coefficient which is a function only of rigidity of the primary flux and depth in the atmosphere. The specific attenuation coefficient has a comparatively high value consistent with that observed for solar proton events.

scholarly journals Investigations of Backscatter Differential Phase in the Melting Layer

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 2344-2359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silke Trömel ◽  
Alexander V. Ryzhkov ◽  
Pengfei Zhang ◽  
Clemens Simmer
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Cross Correlation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Dual Frequency ◽  
Melting Layer ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
X Band ◽  
Aggregation Processes ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
Theoretical Simulations

AbstractBackscatter differential phase δ within the melting layer has been identified as a reliably measurable but still underutilized polarimetric variable. Polarimetric radar observations at X band in Germany and S band in the United States are presented that show maximal observed δ of 8.5° at X band but up to 70° at S band. Dual-frequency observations at X and C band in Germany and dual-frequency observations at C and S band in the United States are compared to explore the regional frequency dependencies of the δ signature. Theoretical simulations based on usual assumptions about the microphysical composition of the melting layer cannot reproduce the observed large values of δ at the lower-frequency bands and also underestimate the enhancements in differential reflectivity ZDR and reductions in the cross-correlation coefficient ρhυ. Simulations using a two-layer T-matrix code and a simple model for the representation of accretion can, however, explain the pronounced δ signatures at S and C bands in conjunction with small δ at X band. The authors conclude that the δ signature bears information about microphysical accretion and aggregation processes in the melting layer and the degree of riming of the snowflakes aloft.

scholarly journals Retrieval of Reflectivity in a Networked Radar Environment

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1755-1767 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Chandrasekar ◽  
S. Lim
Keyword(s):  
Electromagnetic Waves ◽  
State University ◽  
Colorado State University ◽  
Adaptive Sensing ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Rain Medium ◽  
X Band ◽  
State Water ◽  
Networked Radar ◽  
Using Data

Abstract A system for reflectivity and attenuation retrieval for rain medium in a networked radar environment is described. Electromagnetic waves backscattered from a common volume in networked radar systems are attenuated differently along the different paths. A solution for the specific attenuation distribution is proposed by solving the integral equation for reflectivity and attenuation. The set of governing integral equations describing the backscatter and propagation of common resolution volume are solved simultaneously with constraints on total path attenuation. The proposed algorithm is evaluated based on simulated X-band radar observations synthesized from S-band measurements collected by the Colorado State University–University of Chicago–Illinois State Water Survey (CSU–CHILL) radar. Retrieved reflectivity and specific attenuation using the proposed method show good agreement with simulated reflectivity and specific attenuation. Preliminary demonstration of the network-based retrieval using data from the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) IP-1 radar network are also presented.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Specific Attenuation Method for Radar-Based Quantitative Precipitation Estimation: Improvements and Practical Challenges

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1333-1347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bong-Chul Seo ◽  
Witold F. Krajewski ◽  
Alexander Ryzhkov
Keyword(s):  
Estimation Algorithm ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Light Rain ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Precipitation Estimation ◽  
Dynamic Estimation ◽  
Lower Variability ◽  
Drop Size Distributions ◽  
Differential Reflectivity

AbstractThis study demonstrates an implementation of the prototype quantitative precipitation R estimation algorithm using specific attenuation A for S-band polarimetric radar. The performance of R(A) algorithm is assessed, compared to the conventional algorithm using radar reflectivity Z, at multiple temporal scales. Because the factor α, defined as the net ratio of A to specific differential phase, is a key parameter of the algorithm characterized by drop size distributions (e.g., differential reflectivity Zdr dependence on Z), the estimation equations of α and a proper number of Zdr–Z samples required for a reliable α estimation are examined. Based on the dynamic estimation of α, the event-based evaluation using hourly rain gauge observations reveals that the performance of R(A) is superior to that of R(Z), with better agreement and lower variability. Despite its superiority, the study finds that R(A) leads to quite consistent overestimations of about 10%–30%. It is demonstrated that the application of uniform α over the entire radar domain yields the observed uncertainty because of the heterogeneity of precipitation in the domain. A climatological range-dependent feature of R(A) and R(Z) is inspected in the multiyear evaluation at yearly scale using rain totals for April–October. While R(Z) exposes a systematic shift and overestimation, each of which arise from the radar miscalibration and bright band effects, R(A) combining with multiple R(Z) values for solid/mixed precipitation shows relatively robust performance without those effects. The immunity of R(A) to partial beam blockage (PBB) based on both qualitative and quantitative analyses is also verified. However, the capability of R(A) regarding PBB is limited by the presence of the melting layer and its application requirement for the total span of differential phase (e.g., 3°), which is another challenge for light rain.

scholarly journals Assessing the benefits of specific attenuation for quantitative precipitation estimation with a C-band radar network

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ju-Yu Chen ◽  
Silke Trömel ◽  
Alexander Ryzhkov ◽  
Clemens Simmer
Keyword(s):  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Horizontal Polarization ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Quantitative Precipitation Estimation ◽  
Radar Network ◽  
X Band ◽  
Precipitation Estimation ◽  
Drop Size Distributions ◽  
Differential Reflectivity ◽  
Rainfall Retrieval

AbstractRecent advances demonstrate the benefits of radar-derived specific attenuation at horizontal polarization (AH) for quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) at S and X band. To date the methodology has, however, not been adapted for the widespread European C-band radars such as installed in the network of the German Meteorological Service (DWD, Deutscher Wetterdienst). Simulations based on a large dataset of drop size distributions (DSDs) measured over Germany are performed to investigate the DSD dependencies of the attenuation parameter αH for the AH estimates. The normalized raindrop concentration (Nw) and the change of differential reflectivity (ZDR) with reflectivity at horizontal polarization (ZH) are used to categorize radar observations into regimes for which scan-wise optimized αH values are derived. For heavier continental rain with ZH > 40 dBZ, the AH-based rainfall retrieval R(AH) is combined with a rainfall estimator using a substitute of specific differential phase (). We also assess the performance of retrievals based on specific attenuation at vertical polarization (AV). Finally, the regime-adapted hybrid QPE algorithms are applied to four convective cases and one stratiform case from 2017 to 2019, and compared to DWD’s operational RAdar-OnLine-ANeichung (RADOLAN) RW rainfall product, which is based on Zh only but adjusted to rain gauge measurements. For the convective cases, our hybrid retrievals outperform the traditional R(Zh) and pure R(AH/V) retrievals with fixed αH/V values when evaluated with gauge measurements and outperform RW when evaluated by disdrometer measurements. Potential improvements using ray-wise αH/V and segment-wise applications of the ZPHI method along the radials are discussed.

Experimentally Based Estimates of Relations between X-Band Radar Signal Attenuation Characteristics and Differential Phase in Rain

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (11) ◽  
pp. 2442-2450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey Y. Matrosov ◽  
Patrick C. Kennedy ◽  
Robert Cifelli
Keyword(s):  
Dual Wavelength ◽  
Radar Signal ◽  
Polarimetric Radar ◽  
Signal Attenuation ◽  
Differential Phase ◽  
X Band ◽  
Correction Scheme ◽  
Northern Colorado ◽  
Radar Measurements ◽  
Drop Size Distributions

AbstractCorrecting observed polarimetric radar variables for attenuation and differential attenuation effects in rain is important for meteorological applications involving measurements at attenuating frequencies such as those at X band. The results of estimating the coefficients in the correction-scheme relations from dual-wavelength polarimetric radar measurements of rainfall involving attenuating and nonattenuating frequencies are described. Such coefficients found directly from measurements are essentially free from different assumptions about drop shapes, drop size distributions, and/or relations between different radar variables that are typically used in many attenuation and differential attenuation correction schemes. Experimentally based estimates derived using dual-wavelength radar measurements conducted during a project in northern Colorado indicate values of the coefficients in the attenuation–differential phase quasi-linear relations at X band in the approximate range of 0.20–0.31 dB deg−1. The corresponding coefficients in the differential attenuation–differential phase relations are in the range of 0.052–0.065 dB deg−1.

scholarly journals Simulation of polarimetric radar variables in rain at S-, C- and X-band wavelengths

2008 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Teschl ◽  
W. L. Randeu ◽  
M. Schönhuber ◽  
R. Teschl
Keyword(s):  
Rain Rate ◽  
Elevation Angle ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Polarimetric Radar ◽  
Radar Rainfall ◽  
Drop Shape ◽  
X Band ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rain Drop ◽  
Drop Size Distributions

Abstract. Polarimetric radar variables of rainfall events, like differential reflectivity ZDR, or specific differential phase KDP, are better suited for estimating rain rate R than just the reflectivity factor for horizontally polarized waves, ZH. A variety of physical and empirical approaches exist to estimate the rain rate from polarimetric radar observables. The relationships vary over a wide range with the location and the weather conditions. In this study, the polarimetric radar variables were simulated for S-, C- and X-band wavelengths in order to establish radar rainfall estimators for the alpine region of the form R(KDP), R(ZH, ZDR), and R(KDP), ZDR. For the simulation drop size distributions of hundreds of 1-minute-rain episodes were obtained from 2D-Video-Distrometer measurements in the mountains of Styria, Austria. The sensitivity of the polarimetric variables to temperature is investigated, as well as the influence of different rain drop shape models – including recently published ones – on radar rainfall estimators. Finally it is shown how the polarimetric radar variables change with the elevation angle of the radar antenna.

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