Publication Abstracts

Czekala and Simmer 2002

Czekala, H., and C. Simmer, 2002: On precipitation induced polarization of microwave radiation measured from space. Meteorol. Z., 11, 49-60, doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2002/0011-0049.

The polarization effects caused by horizontally aligned oblate hydrometeors show significant differences compared to the effect of spherical particles. Even in the presence of a thick ice cloud above the precipitation layer the oblate raindrops may still have an impact on the polarization differences (T-B,T-v - T-B,T-h) observed from space. For large oblate ice particles with aspect ratios as high as 3.3 the polarization difference is strongest for 85 GHz (more than 40 K). Other reasonable choices of ice particle shape above a layer of nonspherical rain drops can alter the results such that the polarization difference at 37 GHz exceeds the 85 GHz polarization signal, reaching +15 K for 37 GHz at a rain rate of 50 min/h. The scattering signal at 85 GHz is very sensitive to ice mass, but also depends very much on the ice particle shape. By choosing different ice shapes we demonstrate the large range of polarization signatures that can be expected and which include the results reported in the literature. Since different rain events are probably associated with different kinds of ice particles, the 85 GHz scattering signature is a very ambiguous source of information if it is used without additional information. At low frequencies (below 37 GHz) there is hardly any sensitivity to the ice particle shape. The information is directly linked to the water mass and raindrop shape which is known to a much better extent than the ice particle shape.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{cz05000n,
  author={Czekala, H. and Simmer, C.},
  title={On precipitation induced polarization of microwave radiation measured from space},
  year={2002},
  journal={Meteorologische Zeitschrift},
  volume={11},
  pages={49--60},
  doi={10.1127/0941-2948/2002/0011-0049},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - cz05000n
AU  - Czekala, H.
AU  - Simmer, C.
PY  - 2002
TI  - On precipitation induced polarization of microwave radiation measured from space
JA  - Meteorol. Z.
JO  - Meteorologische Zeitschrift
VL  - 11
SP  - 49
EP  - 60
DO  - 10.1127/0941-2948/2002/0011-0049
ER  -

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