HR: 1330h
AN: H23A-22    [Abstracts]
TI: AMSR-E Validation of Winter Precipitation Over the Baltic Sea
AU: * Kulie, M
EM: mskulie@wisc.edu
AF: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706 United States
AU: Bennartz, R
EM: bennartz@aos.wisc.edu
AF: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706 United States
AU: O'dell, C
EM: odell@aos.wisc.edu
AF: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, 1225 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706 United States
AB: Ongoing research related to the evaluation of AMSR-E data over the Baltic Sea region will be presented. In particular, the AMSR-E 89 GHz frequency's sensitivity to light, frozen winter precipitation will be discussed. Comparisons between AMSR-E and simulated brightness temperatures and scattering signatures will be highlighted (the modeled results are derived from ground-based radar data from Gotland Island, Sweden). The microphysical model used to derive optical properties and subsequent brightness temperatures from 3-D radar reflectivity volumes will also be discussed. The model relies on a "size ratio" of melted frozen droplet diameters compared to liquid droplet diameters below the melting layer, which guarantees consistency between the precipitation rates of the frozen and liquid hydrometeors. This method has previously produced good results when applied to warm-season precipitation cases over the Baltic Sea. Initial results indicate that AMSR-E brightness temperatures compare well to the modeled brightness temperatures for a variety of different winter precipitation events. The optimal size ratio that produces the best results may differ between the various cases, though. Lastly, the precipitation rates derived from AMSR-E and the modeled radar-based data will be compared to the standard, rain-gauge adjusted precipitation rates produced by the BALTEX Radar Data Center.
DE: 3354 Precipitation (1854)
DE: 3359 Radiative processes
DE: 3360 Remote sensing
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly