Signatures of Hydrometeor Species from Airborne Passive Microwave Data for Frequencies 10–183 GHz

Abstract

assive microwave brightness temperatures (BTs) collected above severe thunderstorms using the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer and Conical Scanning Millimeter-Wave Imaging Radiometer during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment are compared with a hydrometeor identification applied to dual-polarimetric Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler radar data collected at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma (KVNX). The goal of this work is to determine the signatures of various hydrometeor species in terms of BTs measured at frequencies used by the Global Precipitation Measurement mission Microwave Imager. Results indicate that hail is associated with an ice-scattering signature at all frequencies examined, including 10.7 GHz. However, it appears that frequencies ≤ 37.1 GHz are most useful for identifying hail. Low-level (below 2.5 km) hail becomes probable for a BT below 240 K at 19.4 GHz, 170 K at 37.1 GHz, 90 K at 85.5 GHz, 80 K at 89.0 GHz, 100 K at 165.5 GHz, and 100 K at 183.3 ± 7 GHz. Graupel may be distinguished from hail and profiles without any hydrometeor species by its strong scattering signature at higher frequencies (e.g., 165.5 GHz) and its relative lack of scattering at frequencies ≤ 19.4 GHz. There is a clearer distinction between profiles that contain liquid precipitation and profiles without any hydrometeors when the liquid is associated above with hail and/or graupel (i.e., a hydrometeor category with a strong scattering signature) than when the liquid is associated with smaller ice. Near-surface precipitation is much more likely for a 19.4-GHz BT < 250 K, 37.1-GHz BT < 240 K, 89.0-GHz BT < 220 K, and 165.5-GHz BT < 140 K.