A SYSTEMATIC HAILPAD CALIBRATION PROCEDURE FOR OPERATIONAL HAIL SUPPRESSION IN GREECE

Hailpads are used to provide quantitative hailfall measurements in several hail experiments and hail suppression operations around the world. The dented hailpads record the time-integrated size distribution and concentration of hailfall. In the five-year Greek National Hail Suppression Program (GNHSP) hailpad data have been used to estimate the global (impact) energy of hailswaths for the evaluation of the GNHSP. In this paper a systematic hailpad calibration procedure is developed applicable to operational programs. To meet this objective a calibration experiment has been conducted consisting of several tests to: consider differences between pad types; to examine the effects of ultra violet-light on hailpads for varying periods of time; to investigate the effect of painting and inking of the hailpad surfaces; to consider the effect of analyst's variability, loose hailpad stands, and bouncing; and to develop calibration equations. The concluded results seem to justify the design and performance of the hailpad calibration procedure.