Hydrometeor classification with a C-band polarimetric radar

An empirically based fuzzy logic microphysical classification scheme is described using C-band polarimetric radar measurements. Polarimetric power and differential phase measurements in both radial and cartesian space are employed to define membership functions in two-dimensional subspaces and are then coupled with a temperature-dependent membership function to classify scattering hydrometeors into one of ten species. Examples of this approach are presented for a tropical thunderstorm observed near Darwin, Australia and for a subtropical severe thunderstorm observed near Sydney, Australia. Examination of these examples shows that realistic results are obtained through this empirically based algorithm.