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Assessing the performance of Ka-band millimeter-wavelength cloud radar retrieval of microphysical parameters in central China Monsoon frontal clouds
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  • Xiao Yang,
  • Zhaoxin Cai,
  • Baike Xi,
  • Junxia Li,
  • Peiren Li,
  • Junmei Yang,
  • Hongping Sun,
  • Bin Wang,
  • Yannian Zhu
Xiao Yang
Shanxi Weather Modification Center
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Zhaoxin Cai
Shanxi Meteorological Disasters Defense Technology Center
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Baike Xi
University of Arizona
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Junxia Li
CMA Weather Modification Centre
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Peiren Li
Shanxi Meteorological Society
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Junmei Yang
Shanxi Weather Modification Center
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Hongping Sun
Shanxi Weather Modification Center
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Bin Wang
Institute of Heavy Rain, China Meteorological Administration
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Yannian Zhu
School of Atmospheric Sciences, Nanjing University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Abstract

This study investigates the microphysical properties of the Monsoon frontal cloud (MFC), which were inhomogeneous and exhibited scale differences based on observations and simulations. This research aims to better understand MFC microphysical processes, which are crucial for comprehending the precipitation mechanism during the summer of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river. The results show that the Ka-band Precipitation Radar (KPR) measured reflectivity factor (dBZKPR) agrees well with the observed reflectivity (dBZobs), with a correlation coefficient of 0.78 and a mean bias of 2.45 dBZ along the aircraft flight track, indicating the reliability of KPR for detecting and retrieving cloud microphysical properties. Based on this, four approaches were conducted to create the relationships between radar reflectivity (Z) and microphysical parameters such as liquid water content (LWC) and effective diameter (De) which were then validated. Differential precipitation and non-precipitation clouds proved effective in predicting LWC using dBZKPR, while De required the further division of LWC into seven bins at 100.5 g m-3 intervals. The empirical formulas used in this study produced results closest to observation data compared to previous studies. Detailed criteria for using these formulas were quantified, including differentiating grounded echoes and the size of the retrieved LWC values. This study sheds light on the microphysical properties of the MFC and provides insights into the precipitation mechanism of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze river during the summer.
06 May 2023Submitted to ESS Open Archive
08 May 2023Published in ESS Open Archive