Precipitation Characteristics at Vertical Incidence from Multiple Wavelength Doppler Radars

Abstract

A vertically looking, multiple-wavelength Doppler radar technique to estimate vertical velocity, drop size distribution and turbulence is presented. The ratio of the Doppler spectra, corresponding to the drop fall velocities at two different wavelengths, is uniquely related to the ratio of the radar scattering cross sections at the appropriate temperature. These ratios are used to estimate drop fall velocities and therefore drop size distributions and vertical wind. Turbulence, which broadens the velocity power spectrum, can be estimated by deconvolution and the drop size distribution subsequently derived.