Ice particles classification using dual-polarization spectral observations

Radar retrievals of ice precipitation microphysics are complicated by presence of different types of ice hydrometeors in a radar volume. To overcome this limitation we have developed a classification scheme that is applied to dual-polarization spectral radar observations, taken at elevation angles ranging from 30 to 60 degrees . The use of the spectral measurements, at these elevation angles, allows for improvement of the ice particle classification in cases where more than one particle type is present. In this paper dual-polarization radar spectral observations, such as Doppler power spectrum, coherency spectrum and spectral differential reflectivity, are used as inputs to the classification scheme. At the output of the system the following ice precipitation classes are identified: low density snow (aggregates), high density snow (crystals), rimed snow.

The performance of the method is demonstrated on the CSU CHILL observations during winter storm events of 2006 and 2007.