Vertically pointing radar reflectivity uncertainties and their impact on retrieved raindrop size distribution parameters

Vertically pointing radars transmit tens-of-thousands of radar pulses in order to generate a single profile of Doppler velocity power spectra. After correcting for the vertical air motion, the Doppler velocity power spectra can be used to estimate the raindrop size distribution (RDSD) [1, 2]. Assuming that the precipitation is stationary during the observation interval, processing more independent radar pulses results in smaller measurement uncertainties and more accurate reflectivity estimates [3]. The focus of this study is to understand how reflectivity uncertainties propagate into uncertainties in the retrieved RDSD parameters including the mean raindrop diameter D_m and the rain rate R.