scholarly journals Analysis of Raindrop Diameters for Rainfall Attenuation in Southern Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Oluwumi Adetan ◽  
Obiseye Obiyemi
Keyword(s):  
Shape Parameter ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Rain Attenuation ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Total Percentage ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Rates ◽  
Rainfall Attenuation ◽  
Rainfall Regimes

The influence of critical raindrop diameters on the specific rainfall attenuation in Durban (29<sup>o</sup>52'S, 30<sup>o</sup>58'E), South Africa using various rainfall regimes is analyzed in this paper. Different rain rate values representing drizzle, widespread, shower and thunderstorm are selected for the purpose of analysis over the measured raindrop size distribution. The three-parameter lognormal and gamma DSD models with shape parameter of 2 are used to estimate the parameters required to investigate the drop sizes which produce a major contribution to the total specific rainfall attenuation for the selected rain rate values. The computed total specific attenuation increases with increasing frequencies and rain rates. The highest and prevailing contribution to the specific attenuation occurs at  for the stratiform (drizzle or widespread) and convective (shower or thunderstorm) rain types for the models considered.  The total percentage fraction formed by drops in the diameter range 0.5 mm ≤ <em>D</em> ≤ 2.5 mm and 1.0 mm ≤<em> D</em> ≤ 3.0<em> </em>mm<em> </em>are found to be most critical for the specific rain attenuation for the stratiform (drizzle and widespread)  and convective (shower and thunderstorm) rainfall types especially at higher frequencies.

Analysis of Raindrop Diameters for Rainfall Attenuation in Southern Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Oluwumi Adetan ◽  
Obiseye Obiyemi
Keyword(s):  
Shape Parameter ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Rain Attenuation ◽  
Specific Attenuation ◽  
Total Percentage ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Rates ◽  
Rainfall Attenuation ◽  
Rainfall Regimes

The influence of critical raindrop diameters on the specific rainfall attenuation in Durban (29<sup>o</sup>52'S, 30<sup>o</sup>58'E), South Africa using various rainfall regimes is analyzed in this paper. Different rain rate values representing drizzle, widespread, shower and thunderstorm are selected for the purpose of analysis over the measured raindrop size distribution. The three-parameter lognormal and gamma DSD models with shape parameter of 2 are used to estimate the parameters required to investigate the drop sizes which produce a major contribution to the total specific rainfall attenuation for the selected rain rate values. The computed total specific attenuation increases with increasing frequencies and rain rates. The highest and prevailing contribution to the specific attenuation occurs at  for the stratiform (drizzle or widespread) and convective (shower or thunderstorm) rain types for the models considered.  The total percentage fraction formed by drops in the diameter range 0.5 mm ≤ <em>D</em> ≤ 2.5 mm and 1.0 mm ≤<em> D</em> ≤ 3.0<em> </em>mm<em> </em>are found to be most critical for the specific rain attenuation for the stratiform (drizzle and widespread)  and convective (shower and thunderstorm) rainfall types especially at higher frequencies.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Gamma Raindrop Size Distribution Assumption through Comparison of Rain Rates of Measured and Radar-Equivalent Gamma DSD

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (6) ◽  
pp. 1618-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Adirosi ◽  
Eugenio Gorgucci ◽  
Luca Baldini ◽  
Ali Tokay
Keyword(s):  
Size Distribution ◽  
Drop Size ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Drop Size Distribution ◽  
Dual Polarization ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Radar Measurements ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Rates

AbstractTo date, one of the most widely used parametric forms for modeling raindrop size distribution (DSD) is the three-parameter gamma. The aim of this paper is to analyze the error of assuming such parametric form to model the natural DSDs. To achieve this goal, a methodology is set up to compare the rain rate obtained from a disdrometer-measured drop size distribution with the rain rate of a gamma drop size distribution that produces the same triplets of dual-polarization radar measurements, namely reflectivity factor, differential reflectivity, and specific differential phase shift. In such a way, any differences between the values of the two rain rates will provide information about how well the gamma distribution fits the measured precipitation. The difference between rain rates is analyzed in terms of normalized standard error and normalized bias using different radar frequencies, drop shape–size relations, and disdrometer integration time. The study is performed using four datasets of DSDs collected by two-dimensional video disdrometers deployed in Huntsville (Alabama) and in three different prelaunch campaigns of the NASA–Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) ground validation program including the Hydrological Cycle in Mediterranean Experiment (HyMeX) special observation period (SOP) 1 field campaign in Rome. The results show that differences in rain rates of the disdrometer DSD and the gamma DSD determining the same dual-polarization radar measurements exist and exceed those related to the methodology itself and to the disdrometer sampling error, supporting the finding that there is an error associated with the gamma DSD assumption.

scholarly journals Validation of GPM Precipitation Products by Comparison with Ground-Based Parsivel Disdrometers over Jianghuai Region

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuhang Wu ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
Lifeng Zhang ◽  
Xiaolong Hao ◽  
Hengchi Lei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shape Parameter ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Dual Frequency ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Precipitation Measurement ◽  
Retrieval Algorithms ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Global Precipitation Measurement ◽  
Global Precipitation ◽  
Rain Retrieval

In this study, we evaluated the performance of rain-retrieval algorithms for the Version 6 Global Precipitation Measurement Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (GPM DPR) products, against disdrometer observations and improved their retrieval algorithms by using a revised shape parameter µ derived from long-term Particle Size Velocity (Parsivel) disdrometer observations in Jianghuai region from 2014 to 2018. To obtain the optimized shape parameter, raindrop size distribution (DSD) characteristics of summer and winter seasons over Jianghuai region are analyzed, in terms of six rain rate classes and two rain categories (convective and stratiform). The results suggest that the GPM DPR may have better performance for winter rain than summer rain over Jianghuai region with biases of 40% (80%) in winter (summer). The retrieval errors of rain category-based µ (3–5%) were proved to be the smallest in comparison with rain rate-based µ (11–13%) or a constant µ (20–22%) in rain-retrieval algorithms, with a possible application to rainfall estimations over Jianghuai region. Empirical Dm–Ze and Nw–Dm relationships were also derived preliminarily to improve the GPM rainfall estimates over Jianghuai region.

Comparison of measured rain attenuation and ITU-R predictions on experimental microwave links in Malaysia

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amuda Yusuf Abdulrahman ◽  
Tharek bin Abdulrahman ◽  
Sharul Kamal bin Abdulrahim ◽  
Ulaganathen Kesavan
Keyword(s):  
Cumulative Distribution Function ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Rain Attenuation ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Cumulative Distribution ◽  
Rain Gauge Data ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
International Telecommunication ◽  
Rain Rates ◽  
Rainfall Attenuation

This paper presents the results of direct rain attenuation measurements carried out on four experimental microwave links, installed at UTM, Malaysia. The links operate at frequencies of 15, 22, 26, and 38 GHz and the cumulative distribution function for different rain rates have been generated from the measured 4-year rain gauge data. The experimentally measured attenuation data have been compared with International Telecommunication Unior-R rain attenuation predictions; and it has been found that the latter have underestimated the measured values, especially at higher rain rates. The deviations have been modeled as a function of rain rate exceedances R%p. It is hoped that the study will provide useful information for estimation of rainfall attenuation on microwave links in tropical regions that have similar situation to Malaysia.

Clarifying remotely-retrieved precipitation of shallow marine clouds from the NSF/NCAR Gulfstream V

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mampi Sarkar ◽  
Paquita Zuidema ◽  
Virendra Ghate
Keyword(s):  
Doppler Radar ◽  
Rain Attenuation ◽  
Doppler Velocity ◽  
Distribution Width ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Remote Measurements ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Rates ◽  
The Impact

AbstractPrecipitation is a key process within the shallow cloud lifecycle. The Cloud System Evolution in the Trades (CSET) campaign included the first deployment of a 94 GHz Doppler radar and 532 nm lidar. Despite a larger sampling volume, initial mean radar/lidar retrieved rain rates (Schwartz et al. 2019) based on the upward-pointing remote sensor datasets are systematically less than those measured by in-situ precipitation probes in the cumulus regime. Subsequent retrieval improvements produce rainrates that compare better to in-situ values, but still underestimate. Retrieved shallow cumulus drop sizes can remain too small and too few, with an overestimated shape parameter narrowing the raindrop size distribution too much. Three potential causes for the discrepancy are explored: the gamma functional fit to the dropsize distribution, attenuation by rain and cloud water, and an underaccounting of Mie dampening of the reflectivity. A truncated exponential fit may represent the dropsizes below a showering cumulus cloud more realistically, although further work would be needed to fully evaluate the impact of a different dropsize representation upon the retrieval. The rain attenuation is within the measurement uncertainty of the radar. Mie dampening of the reflectivity is shown to be significant, in contrast to previous stratocumulus campaigns with lighter rain rates, and may be difficult to constrain well with the remote measurements. An alternative approach combines an a priori determination of the dropsize distribution width based on the in-situ data with the mean radar Doppler velocity and reflectivity. This can produce realistic retrievals, although a more comprehensive assessment is needed to better characterize the retrieval errors.

scholarly journals Characteristics of Raindrop Size Distribution on the Eastern Slope of the Tibetan Plateau in Summer

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 562
Author(s):  
Yingjue Wang ◽  
Jiafeng Zheng ◽  
Zhigang Cheng ◽  
Bingyun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Eastern Slope ◽  
Microphysical Properties ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Plateau Area ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rain Rates

Precipitation microphysics over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) remain insufficiently understood, due to the lack of observations and studies. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) for rainfall that happened on the eastern slope of TP in summer. DSD differences between different rain types and under different rain rates are investigated. Confidential empirical relationships between the gamma shape and slope parameters, and between reflectivity and rain rate are proposed. DSD properties in this area are also compared with those in other areas. The results indicate that the stratiform and convective rains contribute to different rain duration and amount, with diverse rainfall macro- and microphysical properties. The rain spectra of two rain types can become broader with higher concentrations as the rain rate increases. DSDs in this area are different to those in other areas. The stratiform DSD is narrower than that in the non-plateau area. The two rain types of this area both have higher number concentrations for 0.437–1.625 mm raindrops than those of the mid-TP. The relationships of shape–slope parameters and reflectivity–rain rate in this area are also different from those in other areas. The rain spectra in this area can produce a larger slope parameter under the same shape parameter than in the mid-TP. The convective rain can produce a smaller rain rate under the same reflectivity. The accuracy proposed reflectivity–rain rate relationship in application to quantitative rainfall estimation is also discussed. The results show that the relationship has an excellent performance when the rain rate exceeds 1 mm h−1.

scholarly journals Analytical Approach to Critical Diameters in Raindrop Size Distribution in Durban, South Africa

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Oluwumi Adetan ◽  
Olumuyiwa Oludare Fagbohun
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Rain Attenuation ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Link Budget ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Rainfall Attenuation

Adequate information of the raindrop size distribution is very significant for the prediction and evaluation of attenuation signal due to rain. In this study, an analytical approach is adopted to determine the peak diameter  where the specific rain attenuation is maxima in Durban (29º52'S, 30º58'E), South Africa; using the spherical raindrop shape at temperature T = 20ºC. The overall rainfall attenuation is computed by integrating over all the drop sizes and determine the differential change in the attenuation as observed over a fixed diameter interval, (= 0.1 mm). The critical diameters are the range of diameters where the rain attenuation is highly predominant, which constitutes the surface area under the curve and along the abscissa regions. The critical diameters are seen to coalesce around the peak diameter, at which the maximum attenuation occurs. The maximum specific rain attenuation peaks at the diameter It was observed that the peak diameter is frequency dependent while the parameters, µ, the mean and σ the standard deviation which determines the width of the distribution are found to be region-dependent. The peak attenuation for the stratiform rainfall type varies between 0.8 ≤ D ≤ 1.5 mm whereas for the convective rainfall, the specific rain attenuation peaks between 1.4 ≤ D ≤ 2.7 mm at all frequencies. A proper knowledge of the rainfall attenuation characteristics is useful for proper planning and for the purpose of link budget analysis by operators in this particular region.

scholarly journals Analysis of Raindrop Size Distribution Characteristics in Permafrost Regions of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Based on New Quality Control Scheme

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ma ◽  
Zhao ◽  
Yang ◽  
Xiao ◽  
Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Quality Control ◽  
Rain Rate ◽  
Tibet Plateau ◽  
Frozen Ground ◽  
Fall Velocity ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Qinghai Tibet Plateau ◽  
Permafrost Regions

Raindrop size distribution (DSD) can reflect the fundamental microphysics of precipitation and provide an accurate estimation of its amount and characteristics; however, there are few observations and investigations of DSD in cold, mountainous regions. We used the second-generation particle size and velocity disdrometer Parsivel2 to establish a quality control scheme for raindrop spectral data obtained for the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in 2015. This scheme included the elimination of particles in the lowest two size classes, particles >10 mm in diameter and rain rates <0.01 mm∙h−1. We analyzed the DSD characteristics for different types of precipitation and rain rates in both permafrost regions and regions with seasonally frozen ground. The precipitation in the permafrost regions during the summer were mainly solid with a large particle size and slow fall velocity, whereas the precipitation in the regions with seasonally frozen ground were mainly liquid. The DSD of snow had a broader drop spectrum, the largest particle size, the slowest fall velocity, and the largest number of particles, followed by hail. Rain and sleet shared similar DSD characteristics, with a smaller particle size, slower velocity, and smaller number of particles. The particle concentration for different classes of rain rate decreased with an increase in particle size and decreased gradually with an increase in rain rate. Precipitation with a rain rate >2 mm∙h−1 was the main contributor to the annual precipitation. The dewpoint thresholds for snow and rain in permafrost regions were 0 and 1.5 °C, respectively. The dewpoint range 0–1.5 °C was characterized by mixed precipitation with a large proportion of hail. This study provides valuable DSD information on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and can be used as an important reference for the quality control of raindrop spectral data in regions dominated by solid precipitation.

scholarly journals Exploring the use of a column model for the characterization of microphysical processes in warm rain: results from a homogeneous rainshaft model

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. P. Prat ◽  
A. P. Barros
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Column Model ◽  
Raindrop Size Distribution ◽  
State Boundary ◽  
Raindrop Size ◽  
Microphysical Processes ◽  
Rain Events ◽  
Rain Rates

Abstract. A study of the evolution of raindrop spectra (raindrop size distribution, DSD) between cloud base and the ground surface was conducted using a column model of stochastic coalescense-breakup dynamics. Numerical results show that, under steady-state boundary conditions (i.e. constant rainfall rate and DSD at the top of the rainshaft), the equilibrium DSD is achieved only for high rain rates produced by midlevel or higher clouds and after long simulation times (~30 min or greater). Because these conditions are not typical of most rainfall, the results suggest that the theoretical equilibrium DSD might not be attainable for the duration of individual rain events, and thus DSD observations from field experiments should be analyzed conditional on the specific storm environment under which they were obtained.

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