Identification

Title

Three-dimensional convective–stratiform echo-type classification and convectivity retrieval from radar reflectivity

Abstract

The Echo Classification from COnvectivity (ECCO) algorithm identifies convective and stratiform types of radar echo in three dimensions. It is based on the calculation of reflectivity texture—a combination of the intensity and the heterogeneity of the radar echoes on each horizontal plane in a 3D Cartesian volume. Reflectivity texture is translated into convectivity, which is designed to be a quantitative measure of the convective nature of each 3D radar grid point. It ranges from 0 (100% stratiform) to 1 (100% convective). By thresholding convectivity, a more traditional qualitative categorization is obtained, which classifies radar echoes as convective, mixed, or stratiform. In contrast to previous algorithms, these echo-type classifications are provided on the full 3D grid of the reflectivity field. The vertically resolved classifications, in combination with temperature data, allow for subclassifications into shallow, mid-, deep, and elevated convective features, and low, mid-, and high stratiform regions—again in three dimensions. The algorithm was validated using datasets collected over the U.S. Great Plains during the PECAN field campaign. An analysis of lightning counts shows ∼90% of lightning occurring in regions classified as convective by ECCO. A statistical comparison of ECCO echo types with the well-established GPM radar precipitation-type categories show 84% (88%) of GPM stratiform (convective) echo being classified as stratiform (convective) or mixed by ECCO. ECCO was applied to radar grids for the continental United States, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Europe, illustrating its robustness and adaptability to different radar grid characteristics and climatic regions.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7ng4vhf

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2022-11-01T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Copyright author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2023-08-18T18:40:37.439579

Metadata language

eng; USA