Scattering of radiowaves by melting ice particles: an eccentric spheres model

Abstract

Melting ice particles are modeled as ice spheres eccentrically coated by a spherical water shell. The existing exact solution to plane-wave scattering from a sphere with an eccentric spherical inclusion is used to determine scattering from individual melting ice particles. The size distribution thereof is determined from the size distribution of the resulting raindrops by use of the mass conservation principle. Scattering characteristics across the melting layer of precipitation are determined by integration of the corresponding characteristics of melting ice particles over their size range. The numerical results provide information about the reflectivity, attenuation, and phase shift across the melting layer of precipitation. Effects associated with the formation of a bright band are discussed and comparison with relevant published results is made. Maps of the internal and near field of a melting ice particle of average size are presented for every phase of the melting process.