A Multiparameter Polarimetric Radar Simulator

Abstract A polarimetric multiparameter radar simulator is described here that is able to reproduce the in-phase and in-quadrature components of the radar echo associated to a population of nonspherical raindrops that is moving under the effect of fall speed, wind, and turbulence. Thanks to a detailed representation of the physical environment, the simulator provides useful information about the different impact of a number of factors (distribution of drops with size, drop shape, and motion, etc.) on radar observables. Moreover, the accuracy of rain estimates involved by the limited acquisition time of operational radars can be investigated by a statistical analysis of the synthetic sequences. The results of the first comparisons between simulated Doppler spectra and those collected by an S-band meteorological radar confirm the usefulness of this software instrument.

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