Radar Polarimetry

START:
August 21, 2017
DURATION:
M W F 2:00-2:50
ID:
METR 6613.001

INSTRUCTORS:

Zhang, Guifu
Professor, Sam K. Viersen Presidential Professor

Address

National Weather Center, Room 5930, 120 David L. Boren Blvd, Norman, OK   View map

Categories

Fall 2017

METR/ECE 6613: Weather Radar Polarimetry Prereq.: Graduate status

 

Class: Mon.-Wed.-Fri. 2:00pm-2:50am, NWC5930,

Office hours: Mon. 3:00pm-4:00pm & Fri. 3:00pm-5:00pm, NWC4620, Instructor: Guifu Zhang (guzhang1@ou.edu), (405)325-3507

Text: G. Zhang: Weather Radar Polarimetry, CRC press, 2016 References:

  1. J. Doviak and D. S. Zrnic: Doppler Radar and Weather Observations, 2006, 1993, 1984
  2. Ishimaru: Wave Propagation and Scattering in Random Media, 1997, 1978
  3. N. Bringi and V. Chandrasekar: Polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar: Principle and applications, 2001

 

Course description

This course provides fundamentals and principles for polarimetric radar remote sensing through understanding wave scattering and propagation in clouds and precipitation filled with hydrometers and other objects. Physical, statistical and electromagnetic properties of the hydrometeors are characterized, and typical polarimetric radar signatures for a variety of weather events are described. The relations between radar observables and physical state parameters will be established. Advanced remote sensing techniques (e.g., polarimetric phased array radar) and retrieval methods for physical parameters will be introduced. Applications of polarimetric radar measurements in hydrometer classification, particle size distribution retrievals, microphysical parameterization, weather quantification and forecast will be illustrated.

 

Course Content

Chapter 1: Introduction

Historical development; objectives and organization of the book

Chapter 2: Characterization of Hydrometeors

Physical, statistical, and electromagnetic properties

Chapter 3: Wave Scattering by a Single Particle

Wave and electromagnetic wave; scattering fundamentals; Rayleigh scattering; Mie scattering theory; scattering calculations by a non-spherical particle; scattering for arbitrary orientations

Chapter 4: Scattering and Propagation in Cloud and Precipitation

Scattering models; single scattering model; coherent wave propagation; propagation- included scattering

Chapter 5: Radar Measurements and Improvement of Data Quality

Polarimetric weather radar system, equation and signal processing; regular estimation of polarimetric radar variables; multi-lag correlation estimators; clutter detection and mitigation

Chapter 6: Applications in Weather Observation and Quantification

Observation of polarimetric radar signatures; hydrometeor classification; quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE); drop size distribution retrieval; attenuation correction

Chapter 7: Advanced Methods and Optimal Retrievals

Simultaneous attenuation correction and DSD retrieval; statistical retrieval of rain DSDs; variational retrieval; optimal retrieval through data assimilation (DA)

Chapter 8: Phased Array Radar Polarimetry

Background and challenges; planar polarimetric phased array radar; cylindrical polarimetric phased array radar

 

 

Grading Homeworks 30%

Projects        30%

Final            40%