An Investigation of the Applicability of Analytically Manageable Raindrop Size Distributions to Radar Observations of Subtropical Precipitation

摘要

The feasibility of representing drop-size distributions of subtropical precipitation by exponentially-damped functions is investigated. Distribution functions are proposed which are found to reproduce the actual dropsize distributions investigated better than the MarshallPalmer distribution. The proposed drop-size distribution functions are applied to the equations for a dual-frequency radar system. It is shown that it is possible to describe completely the drop-size distribution in a precipitation volume by use of graphical relations derived in the investigation coupled with power measurements in a dual-frequency system which exploits the greater attenuation at 3.2-cm over that at 10.3-cm wave lengths. The development presumes that the drop-size distribution in the radar echo volume can be represented adequately by one of the functions investigated.