Regional validity of KaPR–KuPR echo-top relationships

Determine whether the global linear relationship between Ka-band (GPM KaPR) echo-top heights and Ku-band (GPM KuPR) echo-top heights is valid across different geographic regions, including areas characterized by locally stronger or weaker convection.

Background

Using over 39 million profiles, the paper finds that KaPR echo-top heights generally relate linearly to KuPR echo-top heights on a global average, enabling potential translation of Ka-band metrics to Ku-band equivalents (e.g., KaPR 30 dBZ to KuPR 40 dBZ).

However, the authors explicitly question whether these globally derived relationships hold uniformly across regions with differing convective characteristics, suggesting potential geographic variability in the Ka–Ku relationships that requires targeted investigation.