Classification of Hydrometeors Based on Polarimetric Radar Measurements: Development of Fuzzy Logic and Neuro-Fuzzy Systems, and In Situ Verification

A fuzzy logic and neuro-fuzzy system for classification of hydrometeor type based on polarimetric radar measurements is described in this paper. The hydrometeor classification system is implemented by using fuzzy logic and a neural network, where the fuzzy logic is used to infer hydrometeor type, and the neural network learning algorithm is used for automatic adjustment of the parameters of the fuzzy sets in the fuzzy logic system according to prior knowledge. Five radar measurements, namely, horizontal reflectivity (ZH), differential reflectivity (ZDR), differential propagation phase shift (KDP), correlation coefficient ρHV(0), and linear depolarization ratio (LDR), and corresponding altitude, have been used as input variables to the neuro-fuzzy network. The output of the neuro-fuzzy system is one of the many possible hydrometeor types: 1) drizzle, 2) rain, 3) dry and low density snow, 4) dry and high-density crystals, 5) wet and melting snow, 6) dry graupel, 7) wet graupel, 8) small hail, 9) large hail, and 10) a mixture of rain and hail. The neuro-fuzzy classifier is more advantageous than a simple neural network or a fuzzy logic classifier because it is more transparent (instead of a “black box”) and can learn the parameter of the system from the past data (unlike a fuzzy logic system). The hydrometeor classifier has been applied to several case studies and the results are compared against in situ observations.