Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China

Wen, Long; Zhao, Kun; Zhang, Guifu; Liu, Su; Chen, Gang

doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1

Title: Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China

Journal Article · Wed May 03 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1· OSTI ID:1524070

Wen, Long ^[1]; Zhao, Kun ^[2]; Zhang, Guifu ^[3]; Liu, Su ^[4]; Chen, Gang ^[4]

Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Xichang (China)
Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing (China)
Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China)

Instrumentation limitations on measured raindrop size distributions (DSDs) and their derived relations and physical parameters are studied through a comparison of the DSD measurements during mei-yu season in east China by four collocated instruments, that is, a two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD), a vertically pointing Micro Rain Radar (MRR), and two laser-optical OTT Particle Size Velocity (PARSIVEL) disdrometers (first generation: OTT-1; second generation: OTT-2). Among the four instruments, the 2DVD provides the most accurate DSD and drop velocity measurements, so its measured rainfall amount has the best agreement with the reference rain gauge. Other instruments tend to miss more small drops (D < 1 mm), leading to inaccurate DSDs and a lower rainfall amount. The low rainfall estimation becomes significant during heavy rainfall. The impacts of instrument limitations on the microphysical processes (e.g., evaporation and accretion rates) and convective storm morphology are evaluated. This is important especially for mei-yu precipitation, which is dominated by a high concentration of small drops. Furthermore, the instrument limitations need to be taken into account in both QPE and microphysics parameterization.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1524070

Journal Information:: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, Vol. 34, Issue 5; ISSN 0739-0572

Publisher:: American Meteorological SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 42 works

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