Effect of raindrop size distribution variability in dual-frequency radar rain retrieval algorithms assessed from disdrometer measurements

The effect of natural variation of raindrop size distribution (DSD) on the retrieval of rainfall rate from the dual-frequency (13.6/35.5 GHz, as will be in the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission) Precipitation Radar (DPR) measurements is studied by utilizing a large set of disdrometer-measured DSD data through a simple simulation framework. A DPR inversion technique (DPR-IT) that focuses on the retrieval of DSD information from the non-Rayleigh backscattering characteristic of the hydrometeors and a conventional DPR technique (DPR-CT) that focuses on the independent retrieval of rainfall rate from the attenuation measurement are considered in this analysis. The preliminary results show that at different rainfall rate regions these methods have different responses to the DSD variability. For instance, it appears that DPR-IT suffers relatively less from the DSD variability in the regions of weak to moderate rainfall rate (<similar to 10 mm . h(-1)), while in the strong rainfall rate (>similar to 10 mm . h(-1)) region the DPR-CT generally has less sensitivity to DSD variations than the DPR-IT.