Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms
Abstract A synergistic analysis of the radar‐only and combined radar‐lidar observations across the three platforms was conducted. To align with well‐calibrated CloudSat cloud profiling radar (CPR) (and HCR) reflectivity measurements, a constant 4.5 dB offset was applied to all M‐WACR reflectivitives...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112079 |
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| _version_ | 1849716765493297152 |
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| author | Xiquan Dong Anik Das Baike Xi Xiaojian Zheng Ali Behrangi Alexa R. Marcovecchio Dylan J. Girone |
| author_facet | Xiquan Dong Anik Das Baike Xi Xiaojian Zheng Ali Behrangi Alexa R. Marcovecchio Dylan J. Girone |
| author_sort | Xiquan Dong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A synergistic analysis of the radar‐only and combined radar‐lidar observations across the three platforms was conducted. To align with well‐calibrated CloudSat cloud profiling radar (CPR) (and HCR) reflectivity measurements, a constant 4.5 dB offset was applied to all M‐WACR reflectivitives during the MARCUS. This brings M‐WACR data into better agreement with both HCR and CPR reflectivity measurements and facilitates a more reliable cloud fraction (CF) comparison. The total CFs (CFTs) derived from the three radars show excellent agreement. All three radars detect large drizzle drops, but M‐WACR and HCR excel at detecting smaller cloud droplets that are often missed by CPR. The underestimated CFs by CPR are due to increased attenuation of CPR measurements below 3 km, and the combined effects of attenuation and surface clutter below 1 km. Combining radar and lidar observations enhanced cloud detection by 20%–60%. The results from this study provide new insights for designing future cloud radar systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-29efd1e3cd834bbc9531ad4747b46c8b |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-29efd1e3cd834bbc9531ad4747b46c8b2025-08-20T03:12:53ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-01529n/an/a10.1029/2024GL112079Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three PlatformsXiquan Dong0Anik Das1Baike Xi2Xiaojian Zheng3Ali Behrangi4Alexa R. Marcovecchio5Dylan J. Girone6Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USADepartment of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences University of Arizona Tucson AZ USAAbstract A synergistic analysis of the radar‐only and combined radar‐lidar observations across the three platforms was conducted. To align with well‐calibrated CloudSat cloud profiling radar (CPR) (and HCR) reflectivity measurements, a constant 4.5 dB offset was applied to all M‐WACR reflectivitives during the MARCUS. This brings M‐WACR data into better agreement with both HCR and CPR reflectivity measurements and facilitates a more reliable cloud fraction (CF) comparison. The total CFs (CFTs) derived from the three radars show excellent agreement. All three radars detect large drizzle drops, but M‐WACR and HCR excel at detecting smaller cloud droplets that are often missed by CPR. The underestimated CFs by CPR are due to increased attenuation of CPR measurements below 3 km, and the combined effects of attenuation and surface clutter below 1 km. Combining radar and lidar observations enhanced cloud detection by 20%–60%. The results from this study provide new insights for designing future cloud radar systems.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112079cloud microphysicsSouthern Oceanradar lidarCloudSat CALIPSOSOCRATESMARCUS |
| spellingShingle | Xiquan Dong Anik Das Baike Xi Xiaojian Zheng Ali Behrangi Alexa R. Marcovecchio Dylan J. Girone Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms Geophysical Research Letters cloud microphysics Southern Ocean radar lidar CloudSat CALIPSO SOCRATES MARCUS |
| title | Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms |
| title_full | Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms |
| title_short | Quantifying the Differences in Southern Ocean Clouds Observed by Radar and Lidar From Three Platforms |
| title_sort | quantifying the differences in southern ocean clouds observed by radar and lidar from three platforms |
| topic | cloud microphysics Southern Ocean radar lidar CloudSat CALIPSO SOCRATES MARCUS |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112079 |
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