Rainfall Estimation Improvements using Polarization Data from Monte Lema C-Band Weather Radar in the Southern European Alps

摘要

Simple improvements in C-band weather radar data processing are performed based on radar polarimetry. The starting point is the estimation of the differential propagation phase Φ_(DP) from the measured total differential phase Ψ_(DP). The main topics are (ground) clutter removal and quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE). For the former, a new test which checks some polarimetric quantities is added (as a trial) in a pre-existing clutter/non-clutter bin classification system. For the latter, three 'state-of-the-art' Φ_(DP)-based precipitation attenuation correction procedures are considered to correct Z_H for precipitation attenuation. In addition, since the specific differential phase K_(DP) proves to be a better rainfall rate estimator in heavy rain, some hybrid formulas R(Z_H, K_(DP)) are developed so that they result practically unbiased.