A Modular Optimal Estimation Method for Combined Radar–Radiometer Precipitation Profiling

Abstract Although zonal mean rain rates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) are in good ( 10%) biases of differing sign at various GV locations. Reducing these biases is important in the context of developing a database of cloud profiles for passive microwave retrievals that is based upon the PR-measured profiles. A retrieval framework based upon optimal estimation theory is proposed wherein three parameters describing the raindrop size distribution (DSD), ice particle size distribution, and cloud water path (cLWP) are retrieved for each radar profile. The modular nature of the framework provides the opportunity to test the sensitivity of the retrieval to the inclu...

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