Polarimetric Phased Array Weather Radar Data Quality Evaluation Through Combined Analysis, Simulation, and Measurements

This letter combines a time-domain modeling and simulation method for evaluating the impacts of system modules on polarimetric data quality of phased array weather radars with both theoretical analysis and actual measurements. In the presented phased array radar system simulator (PASIM), the distributed weather returns are modeled by randomly distributed scatterers, and Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) Level-II data or user-defined weather scenarios are utilized as weather truth fields. Based on a specially designed patch element, a dual-polarization phased array mobile demonstration system (Ten Panel Demonstrator or TPD) is simulated. In addition, the biases of differential reflectivity, copolar correlation coefficient, and differential phase along beam direction away from the broadside in principal plane and nonprincipal plane are used as data quality metrics. Moreover, theoretical analysis, system simulation, and actual TPD proof of concept measurements in a stratiform precipitation and a convective precipitation are presented, respectively, then similarities and discrepancies between simulations and measurements are compared and explained.