K-band model computations of propagation effects in precipitation

The advent of pulse-to-pulse switching between the horizontal and vertical polarization state and the reception of co- and cross-polarization signals has enhanced the accuracy to which precipitation media can be characterized. Backscattered signals received by the radar quantify both range cumulative forward scattering and the backscattering properties of each consecutive resolution volume. Particularly, radar observations at K-band frequencies are affected by attenuation through precipitation. This paper discusses the theoretical computations of attenuation, differential propagation phase and differential observation parameters in rain, graupel and snow media. Relationships between the measured and intrinsic polarimetric backscatter parameters are derived