Extinction, scattering, and absorption of anomalous radar-reflected emission in a cloud and atmosphere

Abstract

For the anomalous radar reflection from the oversized water drops originating in water-ice phase transition observable in the submillimeter band transparency “window” of ice [1] we consider the process of extinction, scattering, and absorption in a cloud and atmosphere. Our calculations, which are based on experimental results, show that in the situation when the convective cloud is illuminated from nadir by a narrow-beam submillimeter radar (carried on board an airplane or a satellite), the total extinction and absorption in the cloud and atmosphere is nearby 20dB in the long-wave transparency “window” of atmosphere. In the central part of submillimeter band these losses may be as high as 40dB.However,the level of losses has no effect on a difference between the radar reflection coefficients for overcooled water and ice existing due to phase transition, and this difference may be over 20dB in the 0.3 to 0.8mm ice transparency “window”.