A Comparison of X-band Polarization Parameters with Aircraft Measurements of Two Comma Head Winter Cyclones

The Profiling of Winter Storms (PLOWS) field campaign during the winters of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 focused on improving the understanding of dynamic and microphysical processes occurring in continental winter cyclones in the middle latitudes. During PLOWS, the NSF/NCAR C-130 aircraft made multiple passes within a single vertical plane through the comma head of two cyclones as the comma head region moved over the Mobile Alabama X-band (MAX) dual-polarization radar. The radar was performing Range Height Indicator (RHI) scans in the same plane as the C-130 flight track.

Several in-situ cloud microphysical probes, including a forward scattering spectrometer probe (FSSP) and two-dimensional optical array probes (2DC and 2DP), were installed on the C-130, for measuring the cloud and precipitation particle size and habit distributions. When data from these probes are combined with the ground-based X-band radar measurements of differential reflectivity (Z_dr), correlation coefficient (ρ_hv), and radial velocity, great insight into the microphysical processes and kinematic structures of the clouds is obtained. In this presentation, an analysis of generating cells at cloud top, and processes deeper within the cloud in terms of both radar and aircraft measurements will be provided. Kinematic structures, measured using the Doppler radar, will be related to the microphysical and polarization data.