First observations of G-band radar Doppler spectra

Courtier, B. M., Battaglia, A., Huggard, P. G., Westbrook, C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2889-8815, Mroz, K., Dhillon, R. S., Walden, C. J., Howells, G., Wang, H., Ellison, B. N., Reeves, R., Robertson, D. A. and Wylde, R. J. (2022) First observations of G-band radar Doppler spectra. Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (4). ISSN 0094-8276 doi: 10.1029/2021GL096475

Abstract/Summary

The first Doppler spectra ever acquired by an atmospheric radar at 200 GHz (G-band) are presented. The observations were taken during a light precipitation event in May (rain rates <2 mm hr−1) at Chilbolton Observatory, UK, with coincident Ka-band and W-band Doppler radar measurements. The collected rain spectra agree with Mie theory predictions: at G-band they show significant reductions in the spectral power return—as compared to theoretical Rayleigh scattering—corresponding to high Doppler velocities (i.e., large raindrops) with the presence of multiple peaks and “Mie notches” in correspondence to the maxima and minima of the raindrop backscattering cross sections. The first two G-band Mie troughs correspond to smaller velocities/sizes than the first W-band Mie notch. These features offered by G-band radars pave the way toward applying, in rain, Mie notch vertical wind retrievals and multifrequency drop size distribution microphysical retrievals to smaller rain rates and smaller characteristic sizes than ever before.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/103889
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
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