Experimental study of millimetre-wave scattering from simulated hailstones in an open resonator

An assessment is made of the feasibility of measuring scattering behaviour of particles (simulated hailstones), whose physical state may change rapidly during melting, using an open resonator operated at 35 GHz. Extinction cross-sections are measured, for various types of particles, as functions of the dimensions of the particles, in particular, for spheres of dry ice, pyriform particles of dry ice and for nearly spherical particles composed of an ice-water mixture. Where appropriate, the measured values are compared with computed results evaluated using Mie theory.