Quantitative Precipitation Estimation in the CASA X-band Dual-Polarization Radar Network

Abstract This paper presents the sensing aspects and performance evaluation of the quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) system in an X-band dual-polarization radar network developed by the Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) Engineering Research Center. CASA’s technology enables precipitation observation close to the ground and QPE is one of the important applications. With expanding urbanization all over the world, vulnerability to floods has increased from intense rainfall such as urban flash floods. The QPE products that are derived at high spatiotemporal resolution, which is enabled by the deployment of a dense radar network, have the potential to improve the prediction of flash-flooding threats when coupled with hydrological models. Derivation of QPE from radar observations is a challenging process, in which the use of dual-polarization radar variables is advantageous. At X band, the specific differential propagation phase (Kdp) between the orthogonal linear polarization st...

[1]  D. S. Zrnic,et al.  Differential propagation phase shift and rainfall rate estimation , 1986 .

[2]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Axis ratios and oscillations of raindrops , 1988 .

[3]  Alexander V. Ryzhkov,et al.  Advantages of Rain Measurements Using Specific Differential Phase , 1996 .

[4]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Raindrop axis ratios and size distributions in Florida rainshafts: an assessment of multiparameter radar algorithms , 1998, IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote. Sens..

[5]  Alexander V. Ryzhkov,et al.  Beamwidth Effects on the Differential Phase Measurements of Rain , 1998 .

[6]  Eugenio Gorgucci,et al.  Specific Differential Phase Estimation in the Presence of Nonuniform Rainfall Medium along the Path , 1999 .

[7]  Mary Lynn Baeck,et al.  Hydrologic analysis of the Fort Collins, Colorado, flash flood of 1997 , 2000 .

[8]  Eugenio Gorgucci,et al.  Rainfall Estimation from Polarimetric Radar Measurements: Composite Algorithms Immune to Variability in Raindrop Shape–Size Relation , 2001 .

[9]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar: Principles and Applications , 2001 .

[10]  Guifu Zhang,et al.  Experiments in Rainfall Estimation with a Polarimetric Radar in a Subtropical Environment , 2002 .

[11]  Sergey Y. Matrosov,et al.  X-Band Polarimetric Radar Measurements of Rainfall , 2002 .

[12]  Eugenio Gorgucci,et al.  Estimation of Raindrop Size Distribution Parameters from Polarimetric Radar Measurements , 2002 .

[13]  Polarimetric data evaluation in severe storms using two research dual-polarized radars , 2002 .

[14]  Eugenio Gorgucci,et al.  Principles of networked weather radar operation at attenuating frequencies , 2004 .

[15]  Philip B. Bedient,et al.  Assessing urban hydrologic prediction accuracy through event reconstruction , 2004 .

[16]  V. N. Bringi,et al.  Drop Axis Ratios from a 2D Video Disdrometer , 2005 .

[17]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Correction of Radar Reflectivity and Differential Reflectivity for Rain Attenuation at X Band. Part II: Evaluation and Application , 2005 .

[18]  Witold F. Krajewski,et al.  Flash flood forecasting over complex terrain: With an assessment of the Sulphur Mountain NEXRAD in southern California , 2005 .

[19]  Polarimetric rainfall retrievals using blended algorithms , 2005 .

[20]  Alexander V. Ryzhkov,et al.  Rainfall Estimation with a Polarimetric Prototype of WSR-88D , 2005 .

[21]  D. Willie,et al.  Attenuation Statistics for X-band Radar Design , 2006, 2006 IEEE International Symposium on Geoscience and Remote Sensing.

[22]  Sergey Y. Matrosov,et al.  A Comparative Study of Rainfall Retrievals Based on Specific Differential Phase Shifts at X- and S-Band Radar Frequencies , 2006 .

[23]  A. Ryzhkov,et al.  Estimation of Rainfall Based on the Results of Polarimetric Echo Classification , 2007 .

[24]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Distributed Collaborative Adaptive radar network: Preliminary results from the CASA IP1 testbed , 2008, 2008 IEEE Radar Conference.

[25]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Meteorological Command & Control: Architecture and Performance Evaluation , 2008, IGARSS 2008 - 2008 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[26]  Francesc Junyent,et al.  Theory and Characterization of Weather Radar Networks , 2009 .

[27]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Short wavelength technology and the potential for distributed networks of small radar systems , 2009, 2009 IEEE Radar Conference.

[28]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Algorithm for Estimation of the Specific Differential Phase , 2009 .

[29]  V. Chandrasekar,et al.  Attenuation margin requirements in a networked radar system for observation of precipitation , 2009, 2009 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium.

[30]  Sergey Y. Matrosov,et al.  Evaluating Polarimetric X-Band Radar Rainfall Estimators during HMT , 2010 .