Abstract:
A comprehensive satellite-ground radar matching calibration method is proposed to address calibration challenges of multi-band ground radar in Sichuan complex terrain. This approach utilizes the constellation formed by GPM and FY-3G satellites as a standard reference to improve calibration frequency. It encompasses evaluations across multiple dimensions, including spatial matching, attenuation correction, sensitivity threshold settings, beam filling, terrain blockage, and ground clutter interference, systematically assessing performance of radar network. Key findings indicate that the accuracy of satellite-ground radar data is significantly influenced by spatial matching methodologies, attenuation correction techniques, and precise sensitivity threshold settings. Selecting matching boundaries based on variations in ground radar beam widths and using beam center-weighted resampling can reduce the mean absolute error by 0.02 to 0.09 dBZ. Furthermore, using
ΦDP-based attenuation correction combined with customized sensitivity thresholds decrease the mean absolute error by 2.06 dBZ. Implementing a 20% beam-filling threshold ensures effective sample volume coverage, reducing the mean absolute error by an additional 0.01 dBZ. Excluding data affected by terrain blockage and data below 1.5 km altitude improves the matching correlation coefficient to above 0.8, effectively reducing the impact of ground clutter. Reflectivity data from GPM/DPR and FY-3G/PMR demonstrate excellent stability and consistency across diverse environmental conditions. Compared to S-band radar reflectivity, the average deviation is minimal at similar matching times, with a minimum deviation of 0.18 dBZ. Systematic error analysis of S- and C-band radars indicates high data reliability and quality, with echo intensities closely matching those observed by spaceborne radars. Systematic errors generally fall within ±2 dBZ, with a consistency error of approximately 2.43 dBZ, underscoring the robustness of the proposed calibration method. The data consistency of X-band radars is influenced by inherent band differences, potential attenuation errors, and system deviations. Despite efforts in band conversion and attenuation correction, system deviations remain the primary source of errors, ranging from 2.67 to 4.1 dBZ compared to spaceborne radars. Introducing X-band radar data increases S- and C-band radar network by 26.8%. After meticulous calibration using spaceborne radar data, horizontal and vertical structural features of the radar network are significantly improved, enhancing data consistency and reliability across different radar stations. The calibrated radar network provides more continuous, complete, and connected data, enabling higher-quality radar observations for comprehensive weather monitoring and advanced forecasting applications, ultimately improving meteorological services and decision-making processes.