Extended Abstract (760K)9B.5
Radar observations of turbulence and wind shear
Valery M. Melnikov, CIMMS/Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK; and R. J. Doviak and M. Fang
Turbulence and wind shears are the major contributions to the spectral width of backscattered radar signals from clouds and precipitation. Few articles have addressed the relative contributions of these processes. We applied radar data recording with small angular increments to separate elevation, azimuthal, and radial wind shears. Having determined shears, the turbulence contribution can be revealed. Data collected in stratiform clouds and precipitation with spectral widths larger than 7 m/s have been analyzed. We separated the contributions from shear and turbulence to show that shear contributes mostly to these regions of abnormally large spectral widths. The vertical shear of horizontal winds is usually much larger than azimuthal and radial shears. The separated turbulence fields reveal patches of enhanced turbulence, or sub-resolution volume shear, and these appear to be created by breaking K-H waves within the resolution volume of the radar. We show turbulence patterns in a form of waves, patches, and 'cat eye'.
Session 9B, Signal processing
Sunday, 10 August 2003, 4:00 PM-6:00 PM
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