Hail detection using S-band dual polarization radar

The Korea Meteorological Administration(KMA) plans to replace current radars with the S-band dual polarization radars until 2016. So we need to develop an application technology of the S-band dual polarization radar of KMA. The dual polarization radar is capable of measuring the reflectivity ZH, differential reflectivity ZDR, specific differential phase KDP and cross-correlation coefficient ñHV. Using multi-parameter radar information helps to significantly improve the quality of the radar data, distinguish rain echos from the radar signals caused by other scatters (snow, ground clutter, chaff etc.). Additionally, hydrometeor classification (rain, snow, hail, etc.) is one of the primary benefits of dual-polarization radar. However, current research on the S-band dual polarization hydrometeor classification is not making a significant progress in Korea. So the purposes of this research are to perform application tests of hydrometeor classification algorithm and make operational system of S-band dual polarization radar of KMA. For this research, we used BSL S-band dual polarization radar data and NIMR-X hydrometeor classification algorithm of the National Institute of Meteorological Research(NIMR) and adapted it to a hail case. This radar has been operated by the Ministry of Land, Transport, and Maritime affairs(MLTM) and NIMR-X hydrometeor classification algorithm was developed through joint research with the National Center for Atmospheric Research(NCAR).