Empirical Estimation of Attenuation from Differential Propagation Phase Measurements at C Band

A polarimetric method is devised to correct for attenuation effects at C band on reflectivity ZH and differential reflectivity ZDR measurements. An operational cross-correlation analysis is used to derive advection vectors and to displace echoes over a 5-min time step. These advected echoes are then compared with observations valid at the same time. The method assumes that the mean change in the intrinsic ZH and ZDR over a 5-min period when considering 1–2 h of observations over the entire radar umbrella is approximately zero. Correction coefficients are retrieved through the minimization of a cost function that links observed decreases in ZH and ZDR due to attenuation effects with increases in differential phase shift (DP). The retrieved coefficients are consistent with published values for the typical ranges of temperatures and drop sizes encountered at midlatitudes, even when Mie scattering effects are present. Measurements of ZH and ZDR corrected using retrieved coefficients are compared with raw measurements and to measurements adjusted by mean coefficients found in the literature. The empirical retrieval method shows improvement over using mean correction coefficients based on comparisons of ZH from neighboring, unattenuated radars, disdrometer measurements, and analysis of ZH and ZDR as a function of DP.