Precipitation and Attenuation Estimates from a High Resolution Weather Radar Network (PATTERN)

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Recently developed high resolution weather radars (HRWR) are a novel technology to observe precipitation at 60 m and 30 s resolution in space and time. As low cost systems with small antennas, these systems are operated in the X-band frequency range which is affected by attenuation of the radar signal. The project intends to demonstrate a HRWR network can overcome this apparent drawback. In regions, which are covered by more than one radar, it is possible to derive both intrinsic reflectivity and specific attenuation. The relation between specific attenuation and precipitation rate varies less than the commonly used relation between reflectivity and precipitation rate. Specific attenuation as additional observed quantity will likely improve the accuracy of rain rate estimates.The project provides a comprehensive assessment of the potential of networked HRWR both by a practical installation of three HRWR systems at the Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg and idealized, models based studies. Investigations start on a one-dimensional setup along connecting lines of two opposing radar systems. This framework will be used to refine published network retrievals, to develop a new finite element based method and to explore a new technique for radar calibration. As a second step, these methods are expanded to twodimensional scanning geometry. Finally the accuracy of HRWR network retrievals is assessed by a long-term evaluation of the installation at Lindenberg. The potential to use larger HRWR networks on regional scales is explored by a model based observing system simulation experiment (OSSE).