Evaluating of the rain effect on tropical rainfall mapping mission precipitation radar backscatter at low incidence angles

Abstract

This paper evaluates the rain effects on Ku-band radar backscatter at low incidence angles. The data used consisted of the sea surface backscatter and averaged rain rates from Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission precipitation radar (TRMM PR) measurements and the collocated 10-m height numerical prediction wind speeds from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The wind-induced backscatter was estimated by the Ku-band low incidence backscatter model (KuLMOD) and possible bias due to different wind speed inputs was considered. The rain effect was analysed by comparing the TRMM PR-measured surface backscatter for the rain-affected sea surface with the collocated wind-induced backscatter. We found that the surface backscatter decreases with increases in the averaged rain rate. The rain-induced backscatter was clearly dependent of the wind speed and was slightly dependent of the incidence angle. Results show that it is necessary to develop a wind and rain backscatter model instead of single wind backscatter model.