Maier, F.; Bendix, J. & Thies, B. (2012): <b>Simulating Z-LWC relations in natural fogs with radiative transfer calculations for future application to a cloud radar profiler</b>. <i>Pure and Applied Geophysics</i> <b>169</b>, 793–807.
Resource Description
Title:
Simulating Z-LWC relations in natural fogs with radiative transfer calculations for future application to a cloud radar profiler
FOR816dw ID:
74
Publication Date:
2012-01-01
License and Usage Rights:
PAK 823-825 data user agreement. (www.tropicalmountainforest.org/dataagreementp3.do)
Resource Owner(s):
Individual:
Frank Maier
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> lcrs.de
Individual:
Jörg Bendix
Contact:
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Deutschhausstraße 12
Room No. 02 A 48
35032 Marburg
Faculty of Geography
Germany
The vertical distribution of liquid water content<br/>
(LWC) in natural fog and low stratus is a crucial variable in many<br/>
applications, e.g. the development of satellite based retrievals of<br/>
ground fog. Unfortunately, there is very little data concerning fog<br/>
LWC-profiles, mainly due to the lack of suitable operational<br/>
instrumentation. A novel ground-based 94 GHz FMCW cloud<br/>
radar could fill this gap if radar reflectivity Z could be converted to<br/>
LWC by using appropriate Z–LWC relations. However, this relation<br/>
strongly depends on drop size distribution (DSD) and is hardly<br/>
known for natural fog types. In this sensitivity study, the influence<br/>
of the DSD on the Z–LWC relation in different types and life cycle<br/>
stages of natural fogs is analyzed using a radiative transfer code<br/>
(RTC) and published fog drop size distributions. It could be shown<br/>
that there is a direct but nonlinear relationship between LWC and<br/>
radar reflectivity. The proportionality factor of the Z–LWC equation<br/>
in particular reveals specific ranges for the different life cycle<br/>
stages. If a proper classification of fog life cycle in the field is<br/>
possible, the results could be used to properly convert Z to LWC.
Keywords:
| low stratus | fog | cloud radar | radiative transfer | modified gamma distribution |
Literature type specific fields:
ARTICLE
Journal:
Pure and Applied Geophysics
Volume:
169
Page Range:
793–807
Metadata Provider:
Individual:
Maik Dobbermann
Contact:
email:
dobberma <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
35039 Marburg
Deutschland
Germany
