Description
Convert linear radar reflectivity and decibel representation.
Radar and lidar measurements combine propagation distance, pulse/gate geometry, background and instrument response. A local range or normalization term can be useful without detecting a target, retrieving atmospheric properties or establishing calibrated sampling resolution.
Convert linear radar reflectivity and decibel representation.
When to use this tool
Use Radar Reflectivity Linear Db Crosswalk when checking the stated radar/lidar geometry, signal or transmission convention.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter value, direction. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read converted. Use the output convention below.
Convert linear radar reflectivity and decibel representation. Require the selected direction; linear-to-db needs value > 0 and returns 10*log10(value), reverse returns 10^(value/10).1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| value | Linear reflectivity coefficient on the intended reference basis or decibel coefficient, according to direction. | Required. Finite number. |
| direction | Direction | Required. Text; one of "linear-to-db", "db-to-linear"; maximum UTF-16 length 8192. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| converted | Converted | Required. Finite number. |
{
"input": {
"value": 100,
"direction": "linear-to-db"
},
"output": {
"converted": 20
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- The linear value must use the intended reflectivity reference convention for dBZ; no radar calibration, rainfall relation or unit reference is inferred.
- Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use verified instrument calibration and a complete appropriate retrieval/response model, including geometry and signal uncertainty, for actual remote-sensing conclusions.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Radar Range Resolution Pulse Width Term
Return ideal uncompressed radar range resolution.
- Radar Range Gate Volume Term
Return a thin-gate radar sampling-volume approximation.