scholarly journals What Is the Shape of a Raindrop? An Answer from Radar Measurements

2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (11) ◽  
pp. 3033-3044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Gorgucci ◽  
Luca Baldini ◽  
V. Chandrasekar

Abstract In a previous study, Gorgucci et al. showed the potential advantage of using together polarimetric radar measurements of reflectivity factor, differential reflectivity, and specific differential propagation phase, in order to gather information about the calibration of radar systems. Scarchilli et al. generalized this concept in the self-consistency principle, which stated that, given a drop-shape model to describe the form of raindrops, the corresponding radar measurements are constrained on this three-dimensional surface. In this work the self-consistency principle is collapsed onto a two-dimensional domain defined by the variables: 1) the ratio between specific differential phase and reflectivity factor, and 2) differential reflectivity. In this space the scatter of drop size distribution (DSD) variability is minimized in such a way that drop-shape variability shows up. This methodology is used to observe for the first time the predominant shape of raindrops directly from the radar measurements. The radar polarimetric data were collected in two different climatological regions as central Florida and northern Italy. The significant result shows that the underlying mean axis ratio approaches the model established by Pruppacher and Beard, and the relationship described by Beard and Chuang forms a sort of border for the sphericity of the drop shape.

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 1829-1842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Gorgucci ◽  
V. Chandrasekar ◽  
Luca Baldini

Abstract A method is proposed to retrieve raindrop shape–size relations from the radar measurements of reflectivity factor Zh, differential reflectivity Zdr, and specific differential phase Kdp at S band. This procedure is obtained using a domain defined by the two variables Kdp/Zh and Zdr where the drop size distribution (DSD) variability is collapsed onto a line and any variation is essentially due to the drop shape variability. To obtain information on the raindrop shape–size relation underlying a set of radar observations, this domain is studied in conjunction with another domain describing the relation between the drop axial ratio (or shape) and its equivolumetric diameter. Using an initial drop shape and choosing a set of DSDs described by a normalized gamma model, polarimetric radar measurements are produced by simulation. An averaged curve of Kdp/Zh versus Zdr is obtained and compared with the same curve obtained from the radar data. By changing the initial axial ratio relation, a procedure of minimization between the two curves is developed to derive the underlying drop shape–size relation governing the radar measurements under consideration. Three sets of radar data collected in different climatic regions are analyzed to evaluate whether there is a unique shape–size relation.


2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 1156-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott E. Giangrande ◽  
Alexander V. Ryzhkov

Abstract In the presence of partial beam blockage (PBB), weather radar measurements can experience significant bias that directly compromises the accuracy of the hydrologic applications. Techniques for the calibration of the radar reflectivity factor Z and differential reflectivity ZDR, measured with dual-polarization weather radars in the presence of partial beam obstruction, are examined in this paper. The proposed ZDR calibration technique utilizes radar measurements of ZDR in light rain and dry aggregated snow at unblocked and blocked elevations. This calibration technique was tested for the National Severe Storms Laboratory’s (NSSL’s) Cimarron radar that suffers from PBB, and a polarimetric prototype of the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) that does not experience PBB. Results indicate that the ZDR bias that is associated with PBB can be calibrated with an accuracy of 0.2–0.3 dB, provided that the dataset is sufficiently large. Calibration of Z in the presence of PBB is based on the idea of self-consistency among Z, ZDR, and the specific differential phase KDP in rain. The self-consistency calibration of Z from the Cimarron radar is performed following an area–time integral method. Integration is partitioned into small azimuthal sectors to assess the azimuthal modulation of the Z bias. The suggested technique is validated by direct comparisons of reflectivity factors that are measured by the Cimarron radar and the unobstructed operational WSR-88D radar. It is shown that the azimuthal modulation of Z that is caused by PBB is well captured, and the accuracy of the Z calibration is within 2–3 dB.


2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (12) ◽  
pp. 1668-1681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Gorgucci ◽  
V. Chandrasekar ◽  
Luca Baldini

Abstract New algorithms for rain attenuation correction of reflectivity factor and differential reflectivity are presented. Following the methodology suggested for the first time by Gorgucci et al., the new algorithms are developed based on the self-consistency principle, describing the interrelation between polarimetric measurements along the rain medium. There is an increasing interest in X-band radar systems, owing to the early success of the attenuation-correction procedures as well as the initiative of the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere to deploy X-band radars in a networked fashion. In this paper, self-consistent algorithms for correcting attenuation and differential attenuation are developed. The performance of the algorithms for application to X-band dual-polarization radars is evaluated extensively. The evaluation is conducted based on X-band dual-polarization observations generated from S-band radar measurements. Evaluation of the new self-consistency algorithms shows significant improvement in performance compared to the current class of algorithms. In the case that reflectivity and differential reflectivity are calibrated between ±1 and ±0.2 dB, respectively, the new algorithms can estimate both attenuation and differential attenuation with less than 10% bias and 15% random error. In addition, the attenuation-corrected reflectivity and differential reflectivity are within 1–0.2 dB 96% and 99% of the time, respectively, demonstrating the good performance.


2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 729-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenio Gorgucci ◽  
V. Chandrasekar ◽  
Luca Baldini

Abstract The recent advances in attenuation correction methodology are based on the use of a constraint represented by the total amount of the attenuation encountered along the path shared over each range bin in the path. This technique is improved by using the inner self-consistency of radar measurements. The full self-consistency methodology provides an optimization procedure for obtaining the best estimate of specific and cumulative attenuation and specific and cumulative differential attenuation. The main goal of the study is to examine drop size distribution (DSD) retrieval from X-band radar measurements after attenuation correction. A new technique for estimating the slope of a linear axis ratio model from polarimetric radar measurements at attenuated frequencies is envisioned. A new set of improved algorithms immune to variability in the raindrop shape–size relation are presented for the estimation of the governing parameters characterizing a gamma raindrop size distribution. Simulations based on the use of profiles of gamma drop size distribution parameters obtained from S-band observations are used for quantitative analysis. Radar data collected by the NOAA/Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL) X-band polarimetric radar are used to provide examples of the DSD parameter retrievals using attenuation-corrected radar measurements. Retrievals agree fairly well with disdrometer data. The radar data are also used to observe the prevailing shape of raindrops directly from the radar measurements. A significant result is that oblateness of drops is bounded between the two shape models of Pruppacher and Beard, and Beard and Chuang, the former representing the upper boundary and the latter the lower boundary.


Author(s):  
J. Frank ◽  
B. F. McEwen ◽  
M. Radermacher ◽  
C. L. Rieder

The tomographic reconstruction from multiple projections of cellular components, within a thick section, offers a way of visualizing and quantifying their three-dimensional (3D) structure. However, asymmetric objects require as many views from the widest tilt range as possible; otherwise the reconstruction may be uninterpretable. Even if not for geometric obstructions, the increasing pathway of electrons, as the tilt angle is increased, poses the ultimate upper limitation to the projection range. With the maximum tilt angle being fixed, the only way to improve the faithfulness of the reconstruction is by changing the mode of the tilting from single-axis to conical; a point within the object projected with a tilt angle of 60° and a full 360° azimuthal range is then reconstructed as a slightly elliptic (axis ratio 1.2 : 1) sphere.


MRS Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (64) ◽  
pp. 3507-3520
Author(s):  
Chunhui Dai ◽  
Kriti Agarwal ◽  
Jeong-Hyun Cho

AbstractNanoscale self-assembly, as a technique to transform two-dimensional (2D) planar patterns into three-dimensional (3D) nanoscale architectures, has achieved tremendous success in the past decade. However, an assembly process at nanoscale is easily affected by small unavoidable variations in sample conditions and reaction environment, resulting in a low yield. Recently, in-situ monitored self-assembly based on ion and electron irradiation has stood out as a promising candidate to overcome this limitation. The usage of ion and electron beam allows stress generation and real-time observation simultaneously, which significantly enhances the controllability of self-assembly. This enables the realization of various complex 3D nanostructures with a high yield. The additional dimension of the self-assembled 3D nanostructures opens the possibility to explore novel properties that cannot be demonstrated in 2D planar patterns. Here, we present a rapid review on the recent achievements and challenges in nanoscale self-assembly using electron and ion beam techniques, followed by a discussion of the novel optical properties achieved in the self-assembled 3D nanostructures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-757
Author(s):  
Kateryna Hazdiuk ◽  
◽  
Volodymyr Zhikharevich ◽  
Serhiy Ostapov ◽  
◽  
...  

This paper deals with the issue of model construction of the self-regeneration and self-replication processes using movable cellular automata (MCAs). The rules of cellular automaton (CA) interactions are found according to the concept of equilibrium neighborhood. The method is implemented by establishing these rules between different types of cellular automata (CAs). Several models for two- and three-dimensional cases are described, which depict both stable and unstable structures. As a result, computer models imitating such natural phenomena as self-replication and self-regeneration are obtained and graphically presented.


Author(s):  
Jiapeng Liu ◽  
Ting Hei Wan ◽  
Francesco Ciucci

<p>Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is one of the most widely used experimental tools in electrochemistry and has applications ranging from energy storage and power generation to medicine. Considering the broad applicability of the EIS technique, it is critical to validate the EIS data against the Hilbert transform (HT) or, equivalently, the Kramers–Kronig relations. These mathematical relations allow one to assess the self-consistency of obtained spectra. However, the use of validation tests is still uncommon. In the present article, we aim at bridging this gap by reformulating the HT under a Bayesian framework. In particular, we developed the Bayesian Hilbert transform (BHT) method that interprets the HT probabilistic. Leveraging the BHT, we proposed several scores that provide quick metrics for the evaluation of the EIS data quality.<br></p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 4715
Author(s):  
Guanning Wei ◽  
Hongmei Sun ◽  
Haijun Wei ◽  
Tao Qin ◽  
Yifeng Yang ◽  
...  

The hair follicle dermal papilla is critical for hair generation and de novo regeneration. When cultured in vitro, dermal papilla cells from different species demonstrate two distinguishable growth patterns under the conventional culture condition: a self-aggregative three dimensional spheroidal (3D) cell pattern and a two dimensional (2D) monolayer cell pattern, correlating with different hair inducing properties. Whether the loss of self-aggregative behavior relates to species-specific differences or the improper culture condition remains unclear. Can the fixed 2D patterned dermal papilla cells recover the self-aggregative behavior and 3D pattern also remains undetected. Here, we successfully constructed the two growth patterns using sika deer (Cervus nippon) dermal papilla cells and proved it was the culture condition that determined the dermal papilla growth pattern. The two growth patterns could transit mutually as the culture condition was exchanged. The fixed 2D patterned sika deer dermal papilla cells could recover the self-aggregative behavior and transit back to 3D pattern, accompanied by the restoration of hair inducing capability when the culture condition was changed. In addition, the global gene expressions during the transition from 2D pattern to 3D pattern were compared to detect the potential regulating genes and pathways involved in the recovery of 3D pattern and hair inducing capability.


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