Use of polarization to characterize precipitation and discriminate large hail

Abstract

We examine the utility of the correlation coefficient between linear orthogonally polarized echoes for determining precipitation type and gauging hail size. Models and measurements from pure rain coincide in predicting very high correlations (0.98); similar results are obtained with pure hail. Several mechanisms could cause the lowering of correlation but the behavior of the examined data is definitely attributed to a mixture of hydrometeor types. This decrease is an indicator of hail size; it is shown theoretically that in at least two other realistic situations the correlation would decrease with hail size. For the examined case a model of hail shape and orientation during fall is able to reproduce the essential features of polarimetric measurements. It suggests, together with our data and data from other investigators, that substantial negative differential reflectivity (about −1 dB) in a region of high reflectivity factor values is caused by hailstones larger than about 2 cm in diameter.