1. Marine ARM GPCI Investigations of Clouds (MAGIC): Parsivel Disdrometer support for MAGIC
BACKGROUND
-- Disdrometers measure the rainfall drop size distribution
-- Accurately measuring rainfall on ships, and even more so drop size distributions, has always been challenging due to ship distortions of the wind flow.
-- Retrievals of cloud and precipitation rely critically on the calibration of the AMF2 radar systems.
Mary Jane Bartholomew MAGIC Workshop 2014

2. Parsivel2 disdrometer is an advanced version of an optical rain gauge
Capable of measuring particle size and fall velocity
Characterizing precipitation type
Manufactured by OTT Scientific

3. 0.5
2.4
9.5 millimeters
0.45
1.9
7.6
m/s
Example of raw accumulation

4. Example Drop Size Spectra
Number Dens. 1/(m^3 mm)
R 20.1, 9.4, 6.1
Diameter, mm

5. Equivalent reflectivity factor inter-comparison
dBZ
1:1
fit
σ 0.58
µ 0.01

6. Parsivel KAZR
Kband Refl., dBZ

7. Parsivel vs KAZR dBZ Intercept -12dBZ Rain Event 20120925 Parsivel
Kazr mean
Parsivel vs KAZR dBZ
Intercept -12dBZ

8. Rain Event
Intercept -19

9. Rain “Event”
dBZ