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Determination of precipitation profiles from airborne passive microwave radiometric measurementsThis study presents the first quantitative retrievals of vertical profiles of precipitation derived from multispectral passive microwave radiometry. Measurements of microwave brightness temperature (Tb) obtained by a NASA high-altitude research aircraft are related to profiles of rainfall rate through a multichannel piecewise-linear statistical regression procedure. Statistics for Tb are obtained from a set of cloud radiative models representing a wide variety of convective, stratiform, and anvil structures. The retrieval scheme itself determines which cloud model best fits the observed meteorological conditions. Retrieved rainfall rate profiles are converted to equivalent radar reflectivity for comparison with observed reflectivities from a ground-based research radar. Results for two case studies, a stratiform rain situation and an intense convective thunderstorm, show that the radiometrically derived profiles capture the major features of the observed vertical structure of hydrometer density.
Document ID
19910045746
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Kummerow, Christian
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hakkarinen, Ida M.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Pierce, Harold F.
(General Sciences Corp. Laurel, MD, United States)
Weinman, James A.
(Wisconsin, University Madison, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1991
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
Volume: 8
ISSN: 0739-0572
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
91A30369
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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