Interpretation of polarimetric radar covariance matrix for meteorological scatterers

Modern dual-polarization radars provide the unique capability to measure the fields of all components of the covariance backscattering matrix including co-cross-polar correlation coefficients that haven't been explored much for linearly polarized radars. The authors present full polarimetric examples of such data obtained with the CSU CHILL and NCAR S-Pol research polarimetric radars. Both radars operate at the wavelengths of about 10 cm. The radars have two receivers that allow to measure simultaneously co-polar and cross-polar components of the backscattered electromagnetic wave. At least ten radar variables can be obtained simultaneously: radar reflectivity factor Z, differential reflectivity Z/sub DR/, linear depolarization ratio LDR total differential phase /spl Phi//sub DP/, specific differential phase K/sub DP/, cross-correlation coefficient /spl rho//sub hv/, and the magnitudes and the phases of the two co-cross-polar correlation coefficients |/spl rho//sub xh/| (|/spl rho//sub xv/|) and arg(/spl rho//sub xh/) (arg(/spl rho//sub xv/)) respectively. First six variables have been studied quite well in the literature, whereas the information content of the co-cross-polar correlation coefficients /spl rho//sub xh/ and /spl rho//sub xv/ needs to be examined. This is a major focus of this study.