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Incoherent scattering of radar waves by cloud and rain: a feasibility assessment with non-Poissonian considerations.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Incoherent scattering of radar waves by cloud and rain: a feasibility assessment with non-Poissonian considerations.
Authors: Yurchak, Boris S.1 (AUTHOR) bsyu33@gmail.com
Source: International Journal of Remote Sensing. Feb2026, Vol. 47 Issue 4, p1514-1540. 27p.
Subjects: Incoherent scattering, Clustering of particles, Rainfall, Radar signal processing, Radar meteorology, Radar cross sections, Cloud droplets, Heterogeneity
Abstract: The estimation of cloud water/ice content and precipitation intensity using radar is based on the principle of incoherent back-scattering from water droplets or ice particles constituting these meteorological objects. Accordingly, this mechanism assumes uniform particle distribution in the radar volume. However, extant literature offers substantial evidence that the uniform distribution of droplets in clouds and rain is predominantly unique rather than general to all cases. This study utilized a slice approach to evaluate the contribution of medium-scale fluctuations in particle concentration (clustering) commensurate with the size of the radar volume when estimating the radar cross-section (RCS) of clouds and rain. This approach considers coherent scattering from particles located near the electromagnetic wave front (in slices) and demonstrates that incoherent scattering occurs exclusively when the Poisson Index (P.I.), defined as the ratio of the variance to the average number of particles in the slices, is equivalent to 1. The use of the slice approach facilitated the parameterization of the contribution to back-scattering of the heterogeneity of the concentration of cloud and rain droplets and the deviation of its fluctuations from Poisson's law on the scale of the radar volume through the P.I. value. A computer simulation was conducted to ascertain the P.I. of particle number fluctuations within a radar volume containing particle clusters. Clustering was found to lead to deviations in the P.I. index from 1. The corresponding calculated biases in reflectivity estimates were similar to those observed using the incoherent approach. The primary parameters of particle concentration in the radar volume and clusters conducive to the deviation of P.I. from 1 were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
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Abstract:The estimation of cloud water/ice content and precipitation intensity using radar is based on the principle of incoherent back-scattering from water droplets or ice particles constituting these meteorological objects. Accordingly, this mechanism assumes uniform particle distribution in the radar volume. However, extant literature offers substantial evidence that the uniform distribution of droplets in clouds and rain is predominantly unique rather than general to all cases. This study utilized a slice approach to evaluate the contribution of medium-scale fluctuations in particle concentration (clustering) commensurate with the size of the radar volume when estimating the radar cross-section (RCS) of clouds and rain. This approach considers coherent scattering from particles located near the electromagnetic wave front (in slices) and demonstrates that incoherent scattering occurs exclusively when the Poisson Index (P.I.), defined as the ratio of the variance to the average number of particles in the slices, is equivalent to 1. The use of the slice approach facilitated the parameterization of the contribution to back-scattering of the heterogeneity of the concentration of cloud and rain droplets and the deviation of its fluctuations from Poisson's law on the scale of the radar volume through the P.I. value. A computer simulation was conducted to ascertain the P.I. of particle number fluctuations within a radar volume containing particle clusters. Clustering was found to lead to deviations in the P.I. index from 1. The corresponding calculated biases in reflectivity estimates were similar to those observed using the incoherent approach. The primary parameters of particle concentration in the radar volume and clusters conducive to the deviation of P.I. from 1 were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:01431161
DOI:10.1080/01431161.2025.2607882