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

Abstract

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.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Xichang (China)
  2. Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing (China)
  3. Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China); Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
  4. Nanjing Univ., Nanjing (China)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1524070
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 34; Journal Issue: 5; Journal ID: ISSN 0739-0572
Publisher:
American Meteorological Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; Precipitation; Summer/warm season; Drop size distribution; Instrumentation/sensors; Remote sensing; Surface observations

Citation Formats

Wen, Long, Zhao, Kun, Zhang, Guifu, Liu, Su, and Chen, Gang. Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1.
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Wen, Long, Zhao, Kun, Zhang, Guifu, Liu, Su, & Chen, Gang. Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China. United States. https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1
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Wen, Long, Zhao, Kun, Zhang, Guifu, Liu, Su, and Chen, Gang. Wed . "Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China". United States. https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1524070.
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@article{osti_1524070,
title = {Impacts of Instrument Limitations on Estimated Raindrop Size Distribution, Radar Parameters, and Model Microphysics during Mei-Yu Season in East China},
author = {Wen, Long and Zhao, Kun and Zhang, Guifu and Liu, Su and Chen, Gang},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1},
journal = {Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology},
number = 5,
volume = 34,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed May 03 00:00:00 EDT 2017},
month = {Wed May 03 00:00:00 EDT 2017}
}
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Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1175/JTECH-D-16-0225.1
Copyright Statement
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Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 42 works
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Figures / Tables:

FIG. 1 FIG. 1: Field view of the Jiangning site (JN), displaying the relative positions of theMRR,OTT-1 andOTT-2, and the 2DVD. (inset) Local topography around the JN site.
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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Characterization of Different Rainfall Types from Surface Observations Over a Tropical Location
    journal, October 2019

    • Sisodiya, Anshul; Pattnaik, Sandeep; Baisya, Himadri
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    Seasonal Variations of Observed Raindrop Size Distribution in East China
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    Variable Raindrop Size Distributions in Different Rainbands Associated With Typhoon Fitow (2013)
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    • Bao, Xuwei; Wu, Liguang; Tang, Bi
    • Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, Vol. 124, Issue 22
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    Statistical characteristics of raindrop size distribution during rainy seasons in the Beijing urban area and implications for radar rainfall estimation
    journal, January 2019

    • Ma, Yu; Ni, Guangheng; Chandra, Chandrasekar V.
    • Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol. 23, Issue 10
    • DOI: 10.5194/hess-23-4153-2019
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