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Passive microwave and infrared structure of mesoscale convective systems

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Summary

The precipitation structure of mature Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS) is examined in both the midlatitudes and the tropics using SSM/I microwave measurements, geostationary satellite observations, and ground-based radar observations. Discussion includes qualitative comparisons between midlatitude and tropical MCS cases, with particular emphasis on the delineation of convective and stratiform regions and the characterization of microwave polarization difference temperatures in the MCSs. Implications are given regarding the importance of the vertical precipitation structure on top of the atmosphere (TOA) microwave temperatures and for rain retrieval algorithms using measurements from space.

Some of the principle findings include the ability of passive microwave brightness temperature measurements to distinguish stratiform and convective regions of MCSs for both tropical and midlatitude cases and over land and ocean backgrounds. Convective regions typically had low differences between the vertical and horizontal brightness temperatures while the stratiform regions have larger differences, and these differences are likely related to the spatial microphysical variations in the upper levels of the precipitation region. Several cases were found in midlatitudes and one case in the tropics where the lowest infrared (IR) brightness temperatures were displaced into the anvil region and were not colocated with the coldest microwave temperatures. Life cycle dependence of the displacement is suggested, but the SSM/I measurements with a maximum of twice daily coverage over the same location were inadequate to answer this question.

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Author notes

  1. G. M. Heymsfield

    Present address: Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 912, 20771, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

  2. R. Fulton

    Present address: NOAA/NWS Hydrologic Research Lab, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 912, 20771, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

    R. Fulton

  2. Science Systems and Applications, Lanham, Maryland, USA

    R. Fulton

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  1. G. M. Heymsfield
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  2. R. Fulton
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Heymsfield, G.M., Fulton, R. Passive microwave and infrared structure of mesoscale convective systems. Meteorl. Atmos. Phys. 54, 123–139 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01030055

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01030055

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