What is the primary focus of measuring differential reflectivity?

Differential reflectivity is primarily concerned with measuring the difference in reflectivity between horizontal and vertical polarizations of radar signals. This measurement provides information about the shape and orientation of hydrometeors, such as raindrops, snowflakes, or hailstones. Because different shapes and orientations of precipitation particles reflect radar signals differently, differential reflectivity can be an effective indicator of precipitation intensity.

When the particles are predominantly spherical, like raindrops, the differential reflectivity is low, indicating a uniform size and typically lower intensity. Conversely, when the differential reflectivity is high, it suggests the presence of larger, non-spherical particles or a mixture of different particle types, which is often associated with higher intensity precipitation. This capability makes differential reflectivity an invaluable tool for meteorologists to assess how intense precipitation is within a storm system.

While the other choices deal with related concepts—such as particle concentration, cloud formation, and storm structure—they are not the primary aim of measuring differential reflectivity. Therefore, evaluating precipitation intensity is the key focus in the context of this question.