Polarimetric Radar Observations Meet Atmospheric Modelling

Abstract

The German Research Foundation (DFG) established the Priority Program Polarimetric Radar Observations meet Atmospheric Modelling (PROM)“ and its first 3year funding period will start by the end of 2018. The initiators believe that many uncertainties in weather prediction and climate projections can be attributed to missing observations suitable to challenge the representation of cloud and precipitation processes in atmospheric models. Polarimetric weather radar observations are becoming increasingly available from the national weather services, and might fill this gap by providing in-cloud information on hydrometeor type and quantity, and on microphysical processes. Considerable knowledge gaps still exist, however, both in radar polarimetry and the microphysics formulations in atmospheric models and call for a coordinated interdisciplinary effort. The priority program aims at an improved understanding of moist processes in the atmosphere to enable a better understanding and prediction of precipitating clouds by a)exploiting radar polarimetry for quantitative process detection in precipitating clouds for model evaluation,b)improving cloud and precipitation schemes in atmospheric models based on process fingerprints detectable in polarimetric observations,c)monitoring the energy budget evolution due to phase changes in the cloudy, precipitating atmosphere for a better understanding of its dynamics,d)generating improved precipitation system analyses via the assimilation of polarimetric radar observations into atmospheric models,e)radar-based detection of convection initiation for the improvement of thunderstorm prediction.