Millimeter wave radar scattering from model ice crystal distributions

Dual-polarization radar observables of cloud ice crystals are simulated at 94 and 220 GHz frequencies, Three crystal shapes are considered: hexagonal columns, hexagonal plates, and stellar crystals, A gamma model size distribution and a three dimensional (3-D) canting distribution are used, The radar observables are displayed as a function of radar elevation angle, The linear depolarization ratios LDR(h) and LDR(v), the circular depolarization ratio CDR, and the magnitude of the copolarized cross correlation coefficient rho(hv) are found to be useful for differentiating columns from plates and stellar crystals, These radar observables have different trends as a function of elevation angle for the model columns and planar crystals (plates and stellar crystals). Furthermore, at vertical incidence they exhibit significantly different values for the two crystal types.