ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DUAL-POLARIZED RADAR MEASUREMENTS AT -DEGREES AND -45-DEGREES LINEAR-POLARIZATION STATES(45)

Equations are derived for transforming radar data obtained with +/- 45 -degrees linear polarization states to conventional radar parameters m easured at horizontal and vertical polarization states. The derivation is based on the convariance matrix and assumes a diagonal propagation matrix and a reciprocal scattering matrix with nonzero cross-polar te rms. Time series data gathered during the summers of 1990 and 1992 wit h the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR) C-band polarimetri c radar, POLDIRAD, located in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, are used tp v alidate the polarization transformation method. Data collected in two convective precipitation shafts are analyzed and the resulting signatu res are microphysically interpreted. The analysis and the presented da ta validate the polarization transformation method derived here under the assumption of a diagonal propagation matrix.