Comparison of atmospheric refractivity estimation methods and their influence on radar wave propagation predictions

Environmental predictions in the marine atmospheric surface layer (MASL) are imperative to optimize X-band radar system performance in marine environments. Evaporation ducts (ED) lead to anomalous propagation where characterization of EDs in the MASL occurs primarily through two methods: in-situ measurements and numerical modeling. This study investigates differences in co-located and synchronous refractivity estimations from the CASPER-East campaign. Propagation predictions are generated for refractive profiles from in-situ measurements, Monin-Obukov boundary layer similarity theory, and numerical weather prediction forecasts. Variations in evaporation duct height (EDH) are found to be a primary driver of differences in propagation between the estimated refractivity profiles, where location of the EDH relative to the transmitter changes the sensitivity of propagation predictions to EDH estimates. Differences in propagation are large when EDH estimates span the transmitter height and t...海洋大气近地层（Marine Atmospheric Surface Layer，MASL）内的环境预报，对于优化海洋环境中的X波段雷达系统性能至关重要。蒸发波导（Evaporation Duct，ED）会引发异常传播现象，当前对MASL内ED的表征主要通过两种方法：原位测量与数值模拟。本研究针对CASPER-East野外实验中同址同步获取的折射率估算结果差异展开了探究。研究针对源自原位测量、莫宁-奥布霍夫边界层相似理论以及数值天气预报模式预报结果的折射率廓线，生成了传播预测结果。研究发现，蒸发波导高度（Evaporation Duct Height，EDH）的变化是不同折射率廓线对应的传播预测结果出现差异的主要驱动因素，而蒸发波导高度相对于发射机的位置，会改变传播预测对EDH估算值的敏感程度。当EDH估算值跨越发射机高度时，传播预测结果的差异会较为显著，且