Microwave cloud analysis over tuscany region

The present work empirically deals with the challenging problem of the integration of data obtained from passive and active microwave sources, in order to develop procedures to suitably calibrate and validate satellite-based passive microwave rainfall algorithms by means of multiparameter radar information over midlatitude areas. SSM/I passive microwave radiometer precipitation related parameters have been analysed against multiparameter radar Zh and Zdr three dimensional maps, obtained from the POLAR-55C multiparameter radar set near Florence, Italy. The main objectives of this work are: to try to better analyse the satellite beam-filling problem and its different channel penetration topic; to design and validate an operational procedure in order to integrate SSM/I and the POLAR -55C data. Starting from radar-derived volumetric information and passive microwave multi-frequency data, we have faced several statistical analyses of the obtained data sets. Results report the effectiveness of Montagnana radar and SSM/I data fusion. In particular, it was outlined the diverse influence that different vertical profile layers have on radiometer channels. Radar measurements versus SSM/I parameters correlation values may be improved by filtering radar data according to several parameters thresholds, in order to tackle beam-filling problem and statistical issues. Eventually, utilised hydrometeor classification schemes seems not to work properly for a whole stack of CAPPIs.