A 14/35-GHz dual-wavelength radar is expected to be one of the next-generation spaceborne rain radars. The effect of rain attenuation at higher-frequency (35 GHz) radar with different minimum sensitivities was investigated through simulation. Based on the data taken by a single-wavelength (13.8 GHz) precipitation radar (PR) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, the frequency distribution of the received power of the shorter-wavelength radar was first calculated through simulation. If the receiver minimum noise threshold is equivalent to about 10 dBZ, the missing fraction of near-surface rain due to attenuation degrading the signal below the noise threshold is about 15% over land and 3% over ocean compared to the PR.
References
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology: Vol. 19, No. 11, pp. 1878-1885, 2002.
Detectable Rain Range of Spaceborne Ka-band Radar Estimated from TRMM Precipitation Radar Data
Nanda Bikram Adhikari and Kenji Nakamura
