Evaluation of triple-frequency radar retrieval of snowfall properties using coincident airborne in-situ observations during olympex

Chase, Randy J.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/101185 Copy

Description

Title

Evaluation of triple-frequency radar retrieval of snowfall properties using coincident airborne in-situ observations during olympex

Author(s)

Chase, Randy J.

Issue Date

2018-04-18

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Nesbitt, Stephen W.

Committee Member(s)

McFarquhar, Greg M.

Department of Study

Atmospheric Sciences

Discipline

Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Precipitation Retrievals
• Global Precipitation Measurement
• Triple-Frequency Radar
• Snow

Abstract

Particle scattering models have shown that aggregates and spherical particles occupy distinct regions of the Ku-Ka-W-band Dual-Frequency Ratio (DFR) plane. Furthermore, ground-based observations suggest that particle bulk density and characteristic size can be retrieved from the DFR plane. This is the first study to evaluate the retrieval of particle shape, bulk density and characteristic size using airborne triple-frequency radar observations coincident with airborne in-situ microphysical measurements. Data from the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) resulted in 2.2 hours of observations that showed the Ku-Ka-W DFR plane offered little unambiguous information about particle shape. Analysis of a case study on 3 December 2015 is consistent with a past modeling study, showing increased bulk density with increased DFR between the Ka- and W-band. Meanwhile, bulk statistics are consistent with a past observational study, showing the potential retrieval of effective density and characteristic size from the DFR Ku-Ka-W plane.

Graduation Semester

2018-05

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/101185

Copyright and License Information

© by Randy J. Chase

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