W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations

<p>Values of undercatch-corrected liquid-equivalent snowfall rate (<span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>) at a ground site and microwave reflectivity (<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span>) retrieved using an air...

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Main Authors: S. Fuller, S. A. Marlow, S. Haimov, M. Burkhart, K. Shaffer, A. Morgan, J. R. Snider
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2023-12-01
Series:Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Online Access:https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/6123/2023/amt-16-6123-2023.pdf
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author S. Fuller
S. A. Marlow
S. Haimov
M. Burkhart
K. Shaffer
A. Morgan
J. R. Snider
author_facet S. Fuller
S. A. Marlow
S. Haimov
M. Burkhart
K. Shaffer
A. Morgan
J. R. Snider
author_sort S. Fuller
collection DOAJ
description <p>Values of undercatch-corrected liquid-equivalent snowfall rate (<span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>) at a ground site and microwave reflectivity (<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span>) retrieved using an airborne W-band radar were acquired during overflights. The temperature at the ground site was between <span class="inline-formula">−</span>6 and <span class="inline-formula">−</span>15 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup>C</span>. At flight level, within clouds containing ice and supercooled liquid water, the temperature was approximately 7 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup>C</span> colder. Additionally, airborne measurements of snow particle imagery were acquired. The images demonstrate that most of the snow particles were rimed, at least at flight level. A relatively small set of <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs (four) is available from the overflights. Important distinctions between these measurements and those of Pokharel and Vali (2011), who reported <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs and an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship for rimed snow particles, are (1) the fewer <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs, (2) the method used to acquire <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>, and (3) the altitude, relative to ground, of the W-band <span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> retrievals. This analysis corroborates the fact that the <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship reported in Pokharel and Vali (2011) yields an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span> – in scenarios with snowfall produced by riming – substantially larger than that derived using an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship developed for unrimed snow particles.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-68bf2844f58748d799391d572f95a7ba2023-12-22T10:34:16ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Measurement Techniques1867-13811867-85482023-12-01166123614210.5194/amt-16-6123-2023W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observationsS. FullerS. A. MarlowS. HaimovM. BurkhartK. ShafferA. MorganJ. R. Snider<p>Values of undercatch-corrected liquid-equivalent snowfall rate (<span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>) at a ground site and microwave reflectivity (<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span>) retrieved using an airborne W-band radar were acquired during overflights. The temperature at the ground site was between <span class="inline-formula">−</span>6 and <span class="inline-formula">−</span>15 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup>C</span>. At flight level, within clouds containing ice and supercooled liquid water, the temperature was approximately 7 <span class="inline-formula"><sup>∘</sup>C</span> colder. Additionally, airborne measurements of snow particle imagery were acquired. The images demonstrate that most of the snow particles were rimed, at least at flight level. A relatively small set of <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs (four) is available from the overflights. Important distinctions between these measurements and those of Pokharel and Vali (2011), who reported <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs and an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship for rimed snow particles, are (1) the fewer <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> pairs, (2) the method used to acquire <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>, and (3) the altitude, relative to ground, of the W-band <span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> retrievals. This analysis corroborates the fact that the <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship reported in Pokharel and Vali (2011) yields an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span> – in scenarios with snowfall produced by riming – substantially larger than that derived using an <span class="inline-formula"><i>S</i></span>–<span class="inline-formula"><i>Z</i></span> relationship developed for unrimed snow particles.</p>https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/6123/2023/amt-16-6123-2023.pdf
spellingShingle S. Fuller
S. A. Marlow
S. Haimov
M. Burkhart
K. Shaffer
A. Morgan
J. R. Snider
W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
title W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
title_full W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
title_fullStr W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
title_full_unstemmed W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
title_short W-band <i>S</i>–<i>Z</i> relationships for rimed snow particles: observational evidence from combined airborne and ground-based observations
title_sort w band i s i i z i relationships for rimed snow particles observational evidence from combined airborne and ground based observations
url https://amt.copernicus.org/articles/16/6123/2023/amt-16-6123-2023.pdf
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