Doppler radar profilers as calibration tools for scanning radars

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Aeronomy Laboratory h as modified a standard 915-MHz profiler for use as a precipitation profiler in support of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission ground validation field campaigns. This profiler was modified to look vertically with a fixed dish antenna. It was operated during the Texas and Florida Underflights Experime nt (TEFLUN) A in south Texas in April-May 1998 and during TEFLUN B in centr al Florida in August-September 1998. Collocated with the profiler was a Dis tromet, Inc., RD-69 Joss-Waldvogel disdrometer in Texas and Florida and a t wo-dimensional video disdrometer in Florida. The disdrometers are used to c alibrate the profiler at the lowest range gates. At higher altitudes, the c alibrated profiler reflectivities are compared with observations made by sc anning radars such as the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler in Dickin son, Texas, and Melbourne, Florida, and the S-band Doppler dual-polarizatio n radar in Florida. The authors conclude that it is possible to use profile rs as transfer standards to calibrate and to validate the reflectivities me asured by the scanning radars.