Polarimetric signatures in the stratiform region of a mesoscale convective system

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Applied Meteorology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1993)032<0678:PSITSR>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:6531120

Zrnic, D S; Ziegler, C L; Matejka, T ^[1]; Balakrishnan, N ^[2]; Bringi, V N ^[3]; Aydin, K ^[4]

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1. National Severe Storms Lab., Norman, OK (United States)
2. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore (India)
3. Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins (United States)
4. Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (United States)

Four polarimetric measurements were collected in the stratiform region of a mesoscale convective system. The four are the reflectivity factor, the differential reflectivity, the correlation coefficient between orthogonal copolar echoes, and the differential propagation constant. Most striking is a signature of large aggregates (about 10 mm in size) seen in the differential phase through the melting layer. Another significant feature is an abrupt notch in the correlation coefficient that occurs towards the bottom of the bright band. Aircraft observations and a one-dimensional cloud model are used to explain some polarimetric measurements and to infer the presence of aggregates, graupel, and supercooled cloud water -in the stratiform region. These unique observations and model data provide inferences concerning the presence of graupel and the growth of large aggregates in the melting layer. 25 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6531120
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (United States), Vol. 32:4; ISSN 0894-8763
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
REMOTE SENSING
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
POLARIMETRY
AIRCRAFT
CLOUDS
CONVECTION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
METEOROLOGY
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
RADAR
REFLECTIVITY
DATA
ENERGY TRANSFER
HEAT TRANSFER
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NUMERICAL DATA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RANGE FINDERS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
540110*
440700 - Geophysical &amp; Meteorological Instrumentation- (1990-)