Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Radar Reflectivity Factors Simulations of Ice Crystal Populations from In-Situ Observations for the Retrieval of Condensed Water Content in Tropical Mesoscale Convective Systems. |
| Authors: |
Fontaine, Emmanuel, Leroy, Delphine, Delanoë, Julien, Schwarzenboeck, Alfons, Protat, Alain, Dezitter, Fabien, Grandin, Alice, Strapp, John Walter, Lilie, Lyle Edward |
| Source: |
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions; 2016, p1-22, 22p |
| Subject Terms: |
REFLECTANCE, ICE crystals, ICE clouds |
| Abstract: |
This study presents the evaluation of a technique to estimate cloud condensed water content (CWC) in tropical convection from airborne cloud radar reflectivity factors at 94 GHz and in-situ measurements of particle size distributions (PSDs) and aspect ratios of ice crystal populations. The approach is to calculate the variability of 5 second average PSD CWCs and all possible solutions of corresponding m(D) relationships fulfilling the condition that the simulated radar reflectivity factors (T-matrix method) matches the measured reflectivity. For the reflectivity simulations, ice crystals were approximated as oblate spheroids, without using a priori assumptions on the mass-size relationship of ice crystals. The CWC calculations demonstrate that measured CWC values are in the range ±32 % of the average CWC value: averaged over all CWC solutions for the chosen 5s time intervals. In addition, during the airborne field campaign performed out of Darwin in 2014, as part of the international High Altitude Ice Crystals (HAIC)--High Ice Water Content (HIWC) projects, CWCs were measured directly with the new IKP-2 (isokinetic evaporator probe) instrument along with simultaneous particle imagery and radar reflectivity. Averaged CWC retrieved from the radar reflectivity simulations are roughly 16 % higher than the IKP-2 CWC measurements. The differences between the IKP-2 and PSD derived CWCs from the entire set of realistic m(D) solutions for T-matrix retrievals is found to be a function of the total number concentration of ice crystals. Consequently, a correction term is applied (as a function of total number concentration) that significantly improves the retrieved CWC. After correction, the retrieved CWC have a median error relative to measured values of only -1 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|
Copyright of Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Discussions is the property of Copernicus Gesellschaft mbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| Database: |
Complementary Index |
