Advances in Atmospheric Sciences

, Volume 26, Issue 2, pp 211–221 | Cite as

Comparison of the bright band characteristics measured by Micro Rain Radar (MRR) at a mountain and a coastal site in South Korea

  • Joo-Wan Cha
  • Ki-Ho Chang
  • Seong Soo Yum
  • Young-Jean Choi
Article
First Online:
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Revised:

Abstract

Data from a long term measurement of Micro Rain Radar (MRR) at a mountain site (Daegwallyeong, DG, one year period of 2005) and a coastal site (Haenam, HN, three years 2004–2006) in South Korea were analyzed to compare the MRR measured bright band characteristics of stratiform precipitation at the two sites. On average, the bright band was somewhat thicker and the sharpness (average gradient of reflectivity above and below the reflectivity peak) was slightly weaker at DG, compared to those values at HN. The peak reflectivity itself was twice as strong and the relative location of the peak reflectivity within the bright band was higher at HN than at DG. Importantly, the variability of these values was much larger at HN than at DG. The key parameter to cause these differences is suggested to be the difference of the snow particle densities at the two sites, which is related to the degree of riming. Therefore, it is speculated that the cloud microphysical processes at HN may have varied significantly from un-rimed snow growth, producing low density snow particles, to the riming of higher density particles, while snow particle growth at DG was more consistently affected by the riming process, and therefore high density snow particles. Forced uplifting of cloudy air over the mountain area around DG might have resulted in an orographic supercooling effect that led to the enhanced riming of supercooled cloud drops.

Key words

Micro Rain Radar bright band thickness and sharpness cloud microphysical processes local characteristics 
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Copyright information

© Chinese National Committee for International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Science Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Joo-Wan Cha
    • 1
    • 2
  • Ki-Ho Chang
    • 2
  • Seong Soo Yum
    • 1
  • Young-Jean Choi
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Atmospheric SciencesYonsei UniversityYonseiKorea
  2. 2.Global Environment System Research Laboratory NIMR/KMASeoulKorea

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