Comparison of the Observation Capability of an X-band Phased-array Radar with an X-band Doppler Radar and S-band Operational Radar

An X-band phased-array meteorological radar （XPAR） was developed in China and will be installed in an airplane to observe precipitation systems for research purposes.In order to examine the observational capability of the XPAR and to test the operating mode and calibration before installation in the airplane,a mobile X-band Doppler radar （XDR） and XPAR were installed at the same site to observe convective precipitation events.Nearby S-band operational radar （SA） data were also collected to examine the reflectivity bias of XPAR.An algorithm for quantitative analysis of reflectivity and velocity differences and radar sensitivity of XPAR is presented.The reflectivity and velocity biases of XPAR are examined with SA and XDR.Reflectivity sensitivities,the horizontal and vertical structures of reflectivity by the three radars are compared and analyzed.The results indicated that while the XPRA with different operating modes can capture the main characteristic of 3D structures of precipitation,and the averaged reflectivity differences between XPAR and XDR,and XDR and SA,were 0.4 dB and 6.6 dB on 13 July and-4.5 dB and 5.1 dB on 2 August 2012,respectively.The minimum observed reflectivities at a range of 50 km for XPAR,XDR and SA were about 15.4 dBZ,13.5 dBZ and-3.5 dBZ,respectively.The bias of velocity between XPAR and XDR was negligible.This study provides a possible method for the quantitative comparison of the XPAR data,as well as the sensitivity of reflectivity,calibration,gain and bias introduced by pulse compression.

Comparison of Precipitation Observations from a Prototype Space-based Cloud Radar and Ground-based Radars

A prototype space-based cloud radar has been a precipitation system over Tianjin, China in July developed and was installed on an airplane to observe 2010. Ground-based S-band and Ka-band radars were used to examine the observational capability of the prototype. A cross-comparison algorithm between different wavelengths, spatial resolutions and platform radars is presented. The reflectivity biases, correlation coefficients and standard deviations between the radars are analyzed. The equivalent reflectivity bias between the S- and Ka-band radars were simulated with a given raindrop size distribution. The results indicated that reflectivity bias between the S- and Ka-band radars due to scattering properties was less than 5 dB, and for weak precipitation the bias was negligible. The prototype space-based cloud radar was able to measure a reasonable vertical profile of reflectivity, but the reflectivity below an altitude of 1.5 km above ground level was obscured by ground clutter. The measured refiectivity by the prototype space-based cloud radar was approximately 10.9 dB stronger than that by the S-band Doppler radar （SA radar）, and 13.7 dB stronger than that by the ground-based cloud radar. The reflectivity measured by the SA radar was 0.4 dB stronger than that by the ground-based cloud radar. This study could provide a method for the quantitative examination of the observation ability for space-based radars.

A 35-GHz Polarimetric Doppler Radar and Its Application for Observing Clouds Associated with Typhoon Nuri

Millimeter-wavelength radar has proved to be an effective instrument for cloud observation and research. In this study, 8-mm-wavelength cloud radar （MMCR） with Doppler and polarization capabilities was used to investigate cloud dynamics in China for the first time. Its design, system specifications, calibration, and application in measuring clouds associated with typhoon are discussed in this article. The cloud radar measurements of radar reflectivity （Z）, Doppler velocity （Vr）, velocity spectrum width （Sw） and the depolar-ization ratio （LDR） at vertical incidence were used to analyze the microphysical and dynamic processes of the cloud system and precipitation associated with Typhoon Nuri, which occurred in southern China in August 2008. The results show the reflectivity observed using MMCR to be consistent with the echo height and the melting-layer location data obtained by the nearby China S-band new-generation weather radar （SA）, but the Ka-band MMCR provided more detailed structural information about clouds and weak precipitation data than did the SA radar. The variation of radar reflectivity and LDR in vertical structure reveals the transformation of particle phase from ice to water. The vertical velocity and velocity spectrum width of MMCR observations indicate an updraft and strong turbulence in the stratiform cloud layer. MMCR provides a valuable new technology for meteorological research in China.