©Jana Mendrok
The priority programme (SPP 2115) PROM is a coordinated effort to challenge and improve the representation of cloud and precipitation processes in atmospheric models by exploiting the information content of polarimetric radar observations. In PROM experts in radar polarimetry, atmospheric modelling, and data assimilation work together to facilitate and accelerate the fusion of observations and atmospheric modelling.
The first funding phase engaged in an as complete as possible exploitation and understanding of nation-wide polarimetric radar observations complemented by state-of-the-art measurement devices and techniques available at supersites. Observationalists work closely together with modellers to generate and exploit 3D microphysics-related information for model evaluation and improvement.
The development of a polarimetric observation operator is key for the objectives of PROM, since it generates virtual observations from the models, which enable a direct comparison of observed and simulated signatures of microphysical processes including their temporal evolution/lifecycles.
Animation: The extension of the radar operator EMVORADO (Efficient Modular VOlume RADar Operator, developed at the Deutscher Wetterdienst) to polarimetry is ready and available, with online implementations in the numerical weather prediction models COSMO and ICON and a stand-alone framework. It is setup to simulate observations as actually performed for the entire radar network, and thus directly comparable to the observations for model evaluation and data assimilation. As an example synthetic PPIs of differential reflectivity ZDR are shown only for 5 radar stations (by courtesy of Jana Mendrok, PROM project „Operation Hydrometeors“).
PROM built an interdisciplinary community, with experts in radar polarimetry, atmospheric modelling and data assimilation, coming from universities and operational service. It includes 14 projects distributed over Germany in the first funding phase and 9 projects in the second funding phase.
The priority programme SPP 2115: PROM is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).
For more information see https://www2.meteo.uni-bonn.de/spp2115