Quantifying the impact of dual-polarization weather radar measurements on predictions of rainfall rate
Abstract
Advancing the understanding of precipitation processes is crucial, as a lack of and excessive precipitation can have significant effects on the environment and society, including drought, soil erosion, landslides, and flooding. As climate warms, the amount of moisture in the atmosphere is expected to rise much faster than the total precipitation amount, implying that the main changes to be experienced are in the character of precipitation. Additionally, many climate models rely on precipitation rates. Dual-polarization radar systems measure certain properties that can be used to predict rainfall rate, but uncertainties lie within these measurements and predictions. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of specific dual-polarization radar measurements on rainfall rate predictions using mutual information. Radar reflectivity factor (Z), differential reflectivity (Z DR ), specific differential phase (K DP ), and their uncertainties were calculated from ARM disdrometer measurements. We assumed certain droplet size distributions, such as the Marshall-Palmer distribution, and predicted rainfall rate and its uncertainty. We then saw how uncertainty in rainfall rates changes when multiple radar measurements are used and when uncertainty in any of these measurements is reduced.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMED0260014H
- Keywords:
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- 0805 Elementary and secondary education;
- EDUCATION