• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.47 no.12
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• pp.1227-1237
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• 2014

Dual-polarization can distinguish precipitation type and dual-polarization is provide not only meteorological phenomena in the atmosphere but also non-precipitation echoes. Therefore dual-polarization radar can improve radar estimates of rainfall. However polarimetric measurements by transmitting vertically vibration waves and horizontally vibrating waves simultaneously is contain systematic bias of the radar itself. Thus the calibration bias is necessary to improve quantitative precipitation estimation. In this study, the calibration bias of reflectivity (Z) and differential reflectivity ($Z_{DR}$) from the Bislsan dual-polarization radar is calculated using the 2-Dimensional Video Disdrometer (2DVD) data. And an improvement in rainfall estimation is investigated by applying derived calibration bias. A total of 33 rainfall cases occurring in Daegu from 2011 to 2012 were selected. As a results, the calibration bias of Z is about -0.3 to 5.5 dB, and $Z_{DR}$ is about -0.1 dB to 0.6 dB. In most cases, the Bislsan radar generally observes Z and $Z_{DR}$ variables lower than the simulated variables. Before and after calibration bias, compared estimated rainfall from the dual-polarization radar with AWS rain gauge in Daegu found that the mean bias has fallen by 1.69 to 1.54 mm/hr, and the RMSE has decreased by 2.54 to 1.73 mm/hr. And estimated rainfall comparing to the surface rain gauge as ground truth, rainfall estimation is improved about 7-61%.

• Atmosphere
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.173-188
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• 2014

The KMA has cooperated with the Oklahoma University in USA to develop a Polarimetric Radar Data (PRD) simulator to improve the microphysical processes in Korea Local Analysis and Prediction System (KLAPS), which is critical for the utilization of PRD into Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) field. The simulator is like a tool to convert NWP data into PRD, so it enables us to compare NWP data with PRD directly. The simulator can simulate polarimetric radar variables such as reflectivity (Z), differential reflectivity ($Z_{DR}$), specific differential phase ($K_{DP}$), and cross-correlation coefficient (${\rho}_{hv}$) with input of the Drop Size Distribution (DSD) and scattering calculation of the hydrometeors. However, the simulator is being developed based on the foreign observation data, therefore the PRD simulator development reflecting rainfall characteristics of Korea is needed. This study analyzed a potential application of the 2-Dimension Video Disdrometer (2DVD) data by calculating the raindrop axis ratio according to the rain-types to reflect Korea's rainfall characteristics into scattering module in the simulator. The 2DVD instrument measures the precipitation DSD including the fall velocity and the shape of individual raindrops. We calculated raindrop axis ratio for stratiform, convective and mixed rainfall cases after checking the accuracy of 2DVD data, which usually represent the scattering characteristics of precipitation. The raindrop axis ratio obtained from 2DVD data are compared with those from foreign database in the simulator. The calculated the dual-polarimetric radar variables from the simulator using the obtained raindrop axis ratio are also compared with in situ dual-polarimetric observation data at Bislsan (BSL). 2DVD observation data show high accuracies in the range of 0.7~4.8% compared with in situ rain gauge data which represents 2DVD data are sufficient for the use to simulator. There are small differences of axis ratio in the diameter below 1~2 mm and above 4~5 mm, which are more obvious for bigger raindrops especially for a strong convective rainfall case. These differences of raindrop axis ratio between domestic and foreign rainfall data base suggest that the potential use of disdrometer observation can develop of a PRD simulated suitable to the Korea precipitation system.