1st Edition

Radar Hydrology Principles, Models, and Applications

By Yang Hong, Jonathan J. Gourley Copyright 2015
    196 Pages
    by CRC Press

    196 Pages 13 Color & 41 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    176 Pages 13 Color & 41 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Radar Hydrology: Principles, Models, and Applications provides graduate students, operational forecasters, and researchers with a theoretical framework and practical knowledge of radar precipitation estimation. The only text on the market solely devoted to radar hydrology, this comprehensive reference:

    • Begins with a brief introduction to radar
    • Focuses on the processing of radar data to arrive at accurate estimates of rainfall
    • Addresses advanced radar sensing principles and applications
    • Covers radar technologies for observing each component of the hydrologic cycle
    • Examines state-of-the-art hydrologic models and their inputs, parameters, state variables, calibration procedures, and outputs
    • Discusses contemporary approaches in data assimilation
    • Concludes with methods, case studies, and prediction system design
    • Includes downloadable MATLAB® content

    Flooding is the #1 weather-related natural disaster worldwide. Radar Hydrology: Principles, Models, and Applications aids in understanding the physical systems and detection tools, as well as designing prediction systems.

    Preface

    About the Authors

    Introduction to Basic Radar Principles

    Radar Components

    The Radar Beam

    The Radar Pulse

    Signal Processing

    References

    Radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimation

    Radar Calibration

    Quality Control

    Signal Processing

    Fuzzy Logic

    Precipitation Rate Estimation

    Vertical Profile of Reflectivity

    Rain Gauge Adjustment

    Space-Time Aggregation

    Remaining Challenges

    Uncertainty Estimation

    References

    Polarimetric Radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimation

    Polarimetric Radar Variables

    Polarimetric Radar Data Quality Control

    Noise Effect and Reduction

    Clutter Detection and Removal

    Attenuation Correction

    Calibration

    Self-Consistency Check

    Hydrometeor Classification

    Polarimetric Characteristics of Radar Echoes

    Classification Algorithms

    Polarimetric Radar-Based QPE

    Microphysical Retrievals

    Raindrop Size Distribution Model

    DSD Retrieval

    Snowfall and Hail Estimation

    Validation

    References

    Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) Algorithm

    Single-Radar Processing

    Dual-Polarization Quality Control

    Vertical Profile of Reflectivity Correction

    Product Generation

    Precipitation Typology

    Precipitation Estimation

    Verification

    Discussion

    References

    Advanced Radar Technologies for Quantitative Precipitation Estimation

    Mobile and Gap-Filling Radars

    ARRC's Shared Mobile Atmospheric Research and Teaching Radar (SMART-R)

    NSSL's X-Band Polarimetric Mobile Radar (NOXP)

    ARRC's Atmospheric Imaging Radar (AIR)

    ARRC's Polarimetric X-Band 1000 (PX-1000)

    Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA)

    Spaceborne Radars

    Precipitation Radar aboard TRMM

    Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar aboard NASA GPM

    Phased-Array Radar

    Design Aspects and Product Resolution

    Dual Polarization

    Impact on Hydrology

    References

    Radar Technologies for Observing the Water Cycle

    The Hydrologic Cycle

    Surface Water

    Streamflow Radar

    Surface Water Altimetry

    Synthetic Aperture Radar

    Subsurface Water

    L-Band Radar

    C-Band Radar

    Ground-Penetrating Radar

    Subsurface Water

    References

    Radar QPE for Hydrologic Modeling

    Overview of Hydrological Models

    Model Classes

    Model Parameters

    Model State Variables and Data Assimilation

    Hydrological Model Evaluation

    Hydrological Evaluation of Radar QPE

    Case Study in Ft. Cobb Basin, Oklahoma

    Evaluation with a Hydrologic Model Calibrated to a Reference QPE

    Evaluation with Monte Carlo Simulations from a Hydrologic Model

    Evaluation with a Hydrologic Model Calibrated to Individual QPEs

    References

    Flash Flood Forecasting

    Flash Flood Guidance

    Flash Flood Guidance: History

    Lumped Flash Flood Guidance

    Flash Flood Potential Index

    Gridded Flash Flood Guidance

    Comments on the Use of Flash Flood Guidance

    Threshold Frequency Approach

    References

    Biography

    Yang Hong is a professor of hydrometeorology and remote sensing in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, adjunct faculty member with the School of Meteorology, co-director of the WaTER Center, faculty member with the Advanced Radar Research Center, and affiliated member of the Center for Analysis and Prediction of Storms at the University of Oklahoma. Dr. Hong also directs the HyDROS Lab at the National Weather Center. Previously, he was a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and postdoctoral researcher at University of California, Irvine. He holds a BS and MS from Peking (Beijing) University, China and Ph.D from the University of Arizona.

    Jonathan J. Gourley is a research hydrologist with the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory and affiliate associate professor with the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. His research interests include hydrologic prediction across scales ranging from water resources management to early warning of extreme events. Dr. Gourley was the principal inventor of a multisensor rainfall algorithm that was expanded to encompass all radars in North America and deployed to several foreign countries for operational use. He also assembled a comprehensive database that is being used to develop FLASH—a real-time flash flood forecasting system. He holds a BS, MS, and Ph.D from the University of Oklahoma.

    "This is the first book on radar hydrology written by hydrologists. Whereas the excellent knowledge of radar technology by the authors permits an adequate coverage of the principles of rainfall rate estimation by radar, their hydrological background allows them to provide a unique message on the benefits (and on the remaining challenges) in exploiting radar techniques in hydrology. … In a clear and concise manner, the book combines topics from different scientific disciplines into a unified approach aiming to guide the reader through the requirements, strengths, and pitfalls of the application of radar technology in hydrology—mostly for flood prediction. Chapters include excellent discussion of theory, data analysis, and applications, along with several cross references for further review and useful conclusions."
    —Marco Borga, University of Padova, Italy