A Comparison Between the Passive Microwave and Radar Based Properties of Clouds on a Global Scale Using the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission Core Satellite

Satellite remote sensing of clouds and precipitation is an incredibly useful tool for weather forecasting and research. Space based radars particularly provide detailed information on the structure and properties of storms and precipitation systems. The utility of such systems, especially for non-research purposes, is limited by their relatively sparse coverage, however. Passive sensors, such as those that measure in the microwave frequency range, are much more numerous than active sensors on board satellites, measure at a wide range of frequencies, and provide good spatial and temporal coverage due to their wide fields of view and large numbers. These types of sensors, however, do not provide the structural information that can be obtained through measurements with an active sensor. Passive microwave measurements are, however, correlated with active radar measurements and may possibly be used as a proxy for such active measurements as well as provide clues to the nature of the microphysical composition of the clouds. Through a statistical comparison of simultaneous radar and passive microwave measurements made by the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission's core satellite, we attempt to ascertain a relationship between passive microwave measurements and radar observed features for different types of clouds and precipitation over the region from 65°N to 65°S, especially for convective clouds of different intensity. In addition, by using a simple Ku and Ka dual frequency radar retrieval of ice particle information near the top of convective cores, we attempt to qualitatively summarize the differences in ice microphysical properties over different regions through analysis of the geographic distribution of passive microwave observations.