Estimation of vertical profiles of raindrop size distribution from the VHF wind profiler radar Doppler spectra

This paper describes research on a new form of gamma drop size distribution (DSD) model that employs two arbitrary moments as free DSD parameters to enhance the flexibility in studying the characteristics of gamma DSD model to fit the spectrum. The validity of a DSD model is evaluated in terms of th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Indian journal of radio & space physics 2005-10, Vol.34 (5), p.319-327
Main Authors: Reddy, K Krishna, Kozu, Toshiaki, Ohno, Yuichi, Jain, A R, Rao, D Narayana
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:This paper describes research on a new form of gamma drop size distribution (DSD) model that employs two arbitrary moments as free DSD parameters to enhance the flexibility in studying the characteristics of gamma DSD model to fit the spectrum. The validity of a DSD model is evaluated in terms of the stability in solving non-linear least-squares (NLLS) problem and the accuracy in DSD moment estimates. The microphysical [i.e., raindrop size distributions (DSD)] parameters are retrieved during stratiform precipitating cloud system passed (on 23 Oct. 1997) overhead of 53-MHz VHF wind profiler radar at Gadanki. The retrieved rain integral parameters were compared to the corresponding disdrometer data and a reasonably good agreement between the measurements has been found, lending credence to the VHF wind profiler radar retrievals of DSD parameters. Wind profiler radar estimated DSD during stratiform precipitation has been compared with the lognormal Indian climate model. It is observed that the pattern of DSD agrees closely with both models.
ISSN:0367-8393