The Micro Rain Radar (MRR), manufactured by Meteorologische Messtechnik GmbH (Metek) is a frequency modulated (FM), continuous wave (CW) Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging). The MRR transmits at a frequency of 24.230 GHz, which is modulated in a saw tooth pattern. This FM method enables the estimation of target range in CW scanning mode. The height range configuration during the IGP campaign was set from 75 m to 2325 m at 31 range gates (range bin width is 125m). Due to near field effects, the first two range gates (75 m and 150 m) and due to noise the last range gate (2325 m) are discarded, leaving a range of 225 m to 2250 m. One scan and processing cycle of the MRR is achieved in 10 s. During this time, the MRR obtains the doppler spectral density at each range gate. The primary retrieved parameter from doppler spectral density is the fall (or terminal) velocity vT of the precipitation targets. Metek provides a post processing tool that is able to retrieve drop size distribution and corresponding moments,
for example liquid water content (LWC), rain rate (RR) and Radar Reflectivity (Ze). That method only provides reasonable results for liquid precipitation and in the absence of turbulence, as well as updrafts. In the presence of the latter two conditions, aliasing of doppler spectral density can
cause erroneous vT and range gate allocation. During snow events, it is also possible that vT is wrongly interpreted and insufficient noise removal is present, especially during clear sky conditions. Maahn and Kollias 2012 [1] provide a tool (IMProToo), that is able to dealiase the doppler spectral density and hence improve vT estimates, as well as the range gate estimate. Their tool also enables improved Ze, directly estimated from integrated doppler spectral density. Both rain and snow rate can be obtained from Ze using empirical relationships [2]. As snow events dominated rain events during the IGP campaign, the IMProTool was used in addition to the regular data processing by the instrument manufacturer. Both types of data files are included in this dataset.