Articles | Volume 26, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1249-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1249-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
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26 Jan 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 26 Jan 2026
| 26 Jan 2026
A survey of snow growth signatures from tropics to Antarctica using triple-frequency radar observations
Qinghui Li
College of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
Key Laboratory High Impact Weather (special), China Meteorological Administration, Changsha, China
Shandong Institute of Meteorological Sciences, Jinan, China
Xuejin Sun
College of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
Yun Zhang
College of Meteorology and Oceanography, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, China
Weitao Lyu
State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
CMA Key Laboratory of Lightning, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
Zheng Ruan
State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
Liping Liu
State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather Meteorological Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, China
Aiming Liu
Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory, Shenzhen, China
Chunsheng Zhang
Shenzhen Meteorological Observatory, Shenzhen, China
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Editorial statement
The article combines Ku–Ka–W observations from field campaigns spanning the tropics to Antarctica to show temperature-dependent signatures that separate aggregation from riming. As a first cross-latitude synthesis of triple-frequency snow microphysics, the article may serve as a future reference for cloud/precipitation remote sensing and model evaluation.
The article combines Ku–Ka–W observations from field campaigns spanning the tropics to...
Short summary
Despite the increasing complexity of snow microphysics schemes employed in numerical models, whether the dominant snow microphysical process is reasonably identified remains an open question. This study using unprecedented triple-frequency radar observations for the first time unravels the key snow growth processes over diverse geographies. The unique cross-continental datasets from triple-frequency campaigns shed new insights for model evaluation and future satellite missions.
Despite the increasing complexity of snow microphysics schemes employed in numerical models,...
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