CAREER: Improved Knowledge on Precipitation Microphysics for Advancing Radar Rainfall Estimation and Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting.

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0132942AnagnostouOur understanding and ability to predict and respond to changes in the hydrologic environment cannot be properly addressed in the absence of reliable precipitation information. Proposed research aims at investigating the following questions: What are the quantitative limitations and uncertainty of current operational single polarization radar (e.g., WSR-88D) in rainfall estimation, and what are the advantages/disadvantages of X-band polarimetric measurements over current S-band systems for various space and time scales? Those questions will be investigated based on multi-instrument specialized field campaigns associated with warm season convective storms and winter precipitation systems. This research includes participation in two field projects (i.e., Wallops Area Cold season Project, WACP, and the International H2O Project, IHOP) by deploying mobile X-band polarimetric radar and a two-dimensional (2D) video disdrometer in coordination with the other research instruments brought into the field. The synergy of rainfall observations from multiple sensors available from the experiments will be the fundamental building block to support the proposed investigations on precipitation microphysics and rainfall estimation (and validation) associated with different radar systems (i.e., X-band vs. S-band and single vs. dual polarization measurements). Successful completion of the research may provide compelling evidence of the advantages of X-band polarimetric measurements against operational remote sensing systems for support of local flood forecasting. This new remote sensing tool, if proven reliable, would be an attractive and economically affordable solution to the problem of monitoring remote basins and urban areas that are poorly covered by the National radar network, and are prone to flash flooding.