Estimation of ice water content using multi-parameter radar measurements

Ice water content is estimated using polarimetric radar measurements at 3 GHz. The measurements were taken during a light stratiform precipitation event. Vertical profiles of reflectivity (Z_H), differential reflectivity (Z_DR) and specific differential phase (K_DP) show clear bright band in all three cases. Using a melting layer model, the average mixture density of the particles just before melting is estimated. Then, using Z_DR and K_DP, an attempt is made to derive the ice water content at various heights above the melting layer. The values so derived seem to agree qualitatively with reflectivity based estimates, although the latter suffers from large uncertainties because of variations in bulk density and size distribution