INFLUENCE THE DEFORMATION OF THE DROPS GROWING IN THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD ON THEIR SCATTERING PROPERTIES

Abstract

Introduction. It is known that under conditions of free fall in clouds and precipitation the drops deform and take different forms. Experimental work carried out in the wind tunnel shows that the drops under the influence of the electromagnetic field deform even more. Such works allow to more accurately estimate the size, shape and orientation of the drops, which are used in the study of their scattering properties (backscattering cross sections). Materials and methods of research. To determine the shape factor of drops growing in thunderstorm clouds, the results of numerical modeling, laboratory studies in a wind tunnel and field experiments with a polarimeter were used. In the case of spherical drops, the scattering characteristics were calculated by Mie. For deformed drops, a variable separation method modified for particles of free spheroid shape was used. Research results and discussion. Calculations of the backscattering cross-section of deformed drops growing under the influence of a horizontal electric field are carried out. Drops with different degrees of deformation are considered. For comparative analysis, the calculations of the backscattering cross-section of spherical droplets are presented. It is shown that with an increase in the degree of deformation of drops growing in the electric field, the values of backscattering cross sections deviate more significantly from similar values for equivalent spheres. Summary. The obtained results can be useful in the development of methods of thunderstorm clouds' radar research.