Advances in Geosciences www.adv-geosci.net 1680-7340 1680-7359 10 Observation, Prediction and Verification of Precipitation (EGU Session 2006) 2007 10.5194/adgeo-10-85-2007 http://www.adv-geosci.net/10/85/2007/ http://www.adv-geosci.net/10/85/2007/adgeo-10-85-2007.html http://www.adv-geosci.net/10/85/2007/adgeo-10-85-2007.pdf 85 90 2007-04-26 One decade of imaging precipitation measurement by 2D-video-distrometer M. Schönhuber michael.schoenhuber@joanneum.at G. Lammer W. L. Randeu Institute of Applied Systems Technology, Joanneum Research, Graz, Austria Institute of Broadband Communications, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria The 2D-Video-Distrometer (2DVD) is a ground-based point-monitoring precipitation gauge. From each particle reaching the measuring area front and side contours as well as fall velocity and precise time stamp are recorded. In 1991 the 2DVD development has been started to clarify discrepancies found when comparing weather radar data analyses with literature models. Then being manufactured in a small scale series the first 2DVD delivery took place in 1996, 10 years back from now. An overview on present 2DVD features is given, and it is presented how the instrument was continuously improved in the past ten years. Scientific merits of 2DVD measurements are explained, including drop size readings without upper limit, drop shape and orientation angle information, contours of solid and melting particles, and an independent measurement of particles' fall velocity also in mixed phase events. Plans for a next generation instrument are described, by enhanced user-friendliness the unique data type shall be opened to a wider user community. Atlas, D., Shrivastava, R. C., and Sekhon, R. S.: Doppler radar characteristics of precipitation at vertical incidence, Rev. Geophys. Space Phys., 11, 1–35, 1973. Bringi, V. N., Thurai, M., Nakagawa, K., Huang, G.-J., Kobayashi, T., Adachi, A., Hanado, H., and Sekizawa, S.: Rainfall estimation from C-band polarimetric radar in Okinawa, Japan : Comparisons with 2D-video disdrometer and 400 MHz Wind Profiler, 32nd Conf. Radar Meteorol., Albuquerque, NM, USA, Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 24–29 October 2005. Gunn, R. and Kinzer G. D.: The Terminal Velocity of Fall for Water Droplets in Stagnant Air, J. Meteorol., 6, 243–248, 1949. Ikeda, K., Brandes, E. A., Zhang, G., and Rutledge, S. A.: Observations of Winter Storms with a 2-D Video Disdrometer and Polarimetric Radar, 32nd Conf. Radar Meteorol., Albuquerque, NM, USA, Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 24–29 October 2005. Kanofsky, L. M., Chilson, P. B., Schuur, T. J., Zhang, G., and Brandes, E. A.: A comparative study of drop size distribution retrieval using two video disdrometers and a UHF wind profiling radar, 32nd Conf. Radar Meteorol., Albuquerque, NM, USA, Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 24–29 October 2005. Ne\vspor, V., Krajewski, W. F., and Kruger, A.: Wind-Induced Error of Raindrop Size Distribution Measurement Using a Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 17, 11, 1483–1492, 2000. Schönhuber, M.: About Interaction of Precipitation and Electromagnetic Waves, doctoral thesis, Institute of Communications and Wave Propagation, Technical University Graz, Austria, 181 p., 1998. Schönhuber, M., Urban, H. E., Randeu W. L., and Poiares Baptista, J. P. V.: Field Measurements of Raindrop Orientation Angles, ESA SP-444 Proceedings, Millennium Conference on Antennas & Propagation, Davos Switzerland, 9–14 April 2000. Schuur, T. J., Ryzhkov, A. V., and Clabo, D. R.: Climatological analysis of DSDs in Oklahoma as revealed by 2D-video disdrometer and polarimetric WSR-88D radar, 32nd Conf. Radar Meteorol., Albuquerque, NM, USA, Amer. Meteorol. Soc., 24–29 October 2005. Thurai, M. and Bringi, V. N.: Drop Axis Ratio from a 2D Video Disdrometer, J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol., 22, 966–978, 2005. Thurai, M., Bringi, V. N., Huang, G. J., and Hanado, H.: Drop axis ratios and polarization dependence in rain from 2-Dimensional Video Disdrometer data, Third International Workshop of COST 280, Prague, 6–7 June 2005.