Precipitation Type Classification Method for Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) Onboard the GPM

Precipitation classification is a critical module in the retrieval algorithm set, for the dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) that will be onboard the global precipitation measurement (GPM) core satellite. Precipitation type classification namely strat-iform, convective, and other rain type classification is an important part of the classification module. Characteristics of measured dual-frequency ratio (DFRm), defined as the difference between measured reflectivity at two frequency channels (K-u - and K-a - band), were studied for different rain types. This paper shows that DFRm can be used to separate stratiform and convective rain. In this paper, a precipitation type classification model is developed for DPR profile classification using characteristics of DFRm. Data collected by the airborne PR (ARP-2) in NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis, Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes, and Wakasa Bay campaigns are employed in model validation. The performance of the precipitation classification method for the GPM-DPR resolution is evaluated and is shown to be applicable to the GPM resolution.