Simultaneous polarization and Doppler observations of severe convective storms in central Alberta

Radar observation of storms

“…In fact the result of realinterest came from the passage of several convective cells through an area which was monitored by the S-band radar, and also by a 5cm Doppler radar. Comparison of the two data sets revealed that polarization can apparently reveal the updraught region of a severe storm [17]. In parallel with this work, investigations had been made into the use of terrain databases for obtaining terrain profiles along microwave link great circle paths [18].…”

A radar‐based methodology for preparing a severe thunderstorm climatology in central Alberta

“…The radar is calibrated regularly by the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC). More information about the Carvel radar can be found in Holt et al (1994), Reuter and Beaubien (1996) and Xin et al (1997).…”

“…Thus, the presence of hailstones within a radar bin yields a huge scattering surface, resulting in reflectivities of 50 dBZ or more. Chisholm (1973), Browning (1977), Krauss and Marwitz (1984) and Holt et al (1994) found that mid-level reflectivities of ≥50 dBZ are typically associated with severe hail on the ground in central Alberta. For this reason, we selected the maximum reflectivity at 7 km above ground level (Z7) as one of the parameters used to identify strong thunderstorms.…”

A comparison of different polarization schemes for the radar sensing of precipitation

“…One radar which has the capability of using all three schemes in the C band Deutsches Zentrum far Luffund Raumfahrt (DLR) radar at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany [Schroth et al, 1989]. During the Polarization and Doppler Radar Experiment (PADRE) sponsored by the European Union [Holt, 1994], this was used to collect data in three polarization schemes' linear H/V, linear slant, and circular. However, the DLR digital signal processor was not designed to routinely record measurements from the logarithmic channel of the magnitude of the correlation between the copolar and cross-polar receive fields, or of the coherent cross correlations.…”