Description of a radar/radiometer method and its application to airborne measurements over stratiform rain

A combined dual-wavelength radar and radiometer method is described for estimation of precipitation parameters from airborne or spaceborne platforms. The idea of the method is to identify a number of drop size distributions that are consistent with the radar measurements and then to narrow the number of possible solutions by using the results to regenerate the measured radar and radiometric responses. After showing simulation results to highlight the advantages and defects of the method, application is made to airborne radar/radiometer measurements over stratiform precipitation measured in the Western Pacific