Theoretical Study of Radar Polarization Parameters Obtained from Cirrus Clouds

Abstract

A theoretical investigation of radar polarization parameters that characterize cloud ice backscattering is presented. The parameters considered were those commonly used in radar polarimetrics such as differential reflectivity (ZDR), linear depolarization ratio (LDR), circular depolarization ratio (CDR), intrinsic degree of orientation (ORTT) as well as conventional reflectivities. Experimental data on the shapes of ice crystals and their orientations are taken into account. Results suggest that prolate-shaped scatterers can be distinguished from those having oblate shapes by analyzing the depolarization ratio dependence on the elevation angle. Calculations suggest that circular polarization parameters provide stronger signals in a cross-polar channel and also show a 1esser dependence on scatterer orientation in comparison with linear polarization parameters. Propagation effects do not significantly affect the polarization parameters for equivalent water contents and cloud thicknesses that are typical for cirrus clouds. Differential phase shift that might be observed in cirrus clouds is relatively small. Finally, equivalent reflectivity factors are analyzed for several ice particle types as a function of their major axis. Reflectivity dependence on particle shapes is demonstrated, and comments on the possibility of making approximate estimates of cloud particle sizes are given.