Comparison of circular and linear polarisation radar measurements on the melting layer

A high power waveguide ferrite switch fitted to a 3.1 cm polarization diversity radar provides the capability for making measurements of the differential reflectivity, Z(DR), interleaved with circular polarization measurements on the same storm. Attention is given to a typical example in which both linear and circular polarization measurements were conducted regarding a melting layer which was at a height of about 1.7 km above ground level (approximately 1.8 km above mean sea level). The measurements are concerned with a storm occurring on Apr. 7, 1983. It is found that there is good agreement between the differential reflectivity measured with linear polarizations and the corresponding quantity computed on the basis of circular polarization measurements.