Reduction of Nonuniform Beamfilling Effects by Multiple Constraints: A Simulation Study

Abstract

spaceborne precipitation radar samples the vertical structure of precipitating hydrometeors from the top down. The viewing geometry and operating frequency result in certain limitations and opportunities. Among the limitations is attenuation of the radar signal that can cause the measured radar reflectivity factor to be substantially less than the desired quantity, the true radar reflectivity factor. Another error source is the spatial variability in precipitation rates that occurs at scales smaller than the sensor field of view (FOV), giving rise to the nonuniform beamfilling (NUBF) effect. The opportunities arise when the radar return from the surface can be used to obtain constraints on the path-integrated attenuation (PIA) for use in hybrid attenuation correction algorithms. The surface return can also provide some information on the degree of NUBF at off-nadir viewing angles. In this paper ground-based radar data are used to simulate spaceborne radar data at nadir and off-nadir viewing angles at Ku band and Ka band and to test attenuation correction algorithms in the presence of nonuniform beamfilling. The cross-FOV gradient in PIA is found to be an important characteristic for describing the performance of attenuation correction algorithms.