SEMINAR SERIES and COLLOQUIA

The implementation of the nationwide network of Doppler radars was a significant milestone for the National Weather Service and the meteorology community as a whole. We have now come to the next milestone in weather radar: the addition of dual-polarization capabilities, which arguably could have a greater and farther-reaching impact on the National Weather Service and the society as a whole than the advent of Doppler technology. Yet, despite the nationwide upgrade (which has already begun), many in the meteorology community and others who use radar data are unfamiliar with the fundamentals of polarimetric radar data and their interpretation and applications.

In this talk, the basic principles of dual-polarization radar will be presented, beginning with a background primer on basic electromagnetic scattering theory and a description of each of the polarimetric variables. This includes a new graphical approach to describing the variables with an emphasis on their physical interpretation. The remainder of the talk is devoted to an overview of the numerous meteorological applications of polarimetric radar data, complete with examples including the recent tornado in Norman on 12 June.

Back to NWC Seminar Series and Colloquia