On the influence of the vertical variability on the Earth-to-satellite communication link rain retrievals

In the last two decades, several studies exploited opportunistic microwave signals to improve precipitation estimation capability. In this framework, the Nefocast project developed an ad-hoc algorithm to retrieve precipitation from the attenuation experienced by Earth-to-satellite links and deployed an extensive field campaign to validate the algorithm. Thanks to the co-located measurements of a satellite receiver (SmartLNB), a disdrometer and weather radar in Rome, several assumptions of the Nefocast algorithm were addressed. Recently a vertically pointing micro rain radar (MRR-PRO) was added to the Rome set-up allowing the analysis of the variability of the precipitation and its possible influence within the Nefocast algorithm. The preliminary results showed that the vertical variability of precipitation can play a role in the Nefocast estimates.