Estimation of 0°C isotherm height from vertical profiles of reflectivity in raining earth-space paths

In order to evaluate precisely the additional rain loss due to precipitation in the design process of Earth-space telecommunication systems, it is necessary to obtain the effective rain length with the major possible resolution. The aim of the study is the precise determination of 0degC isotherm height and the boundaries of the bright band in rain situations, based on meteorological radar measurements. In order to identify data affected by bright band in weather radars, as well as to determine bright band height, some algorithms have been applied for the previously characterized vertical profiles of horizontal and differential reflectivity.