HR: 1330h
AN: AE32A-0164    [PDF]
TI: Rainfall, Convective Intensity, and Lightning Characteristics of Tropical Mesoscale Convective Systems according to TRMM
AU: * Nesbitt, S W
EM: snesbitt@atmos.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Atmospheric Science, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AU: Cifelli, R
EM: rob@atmos.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Atmospheric Science, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AU: Rutledge, S A
EM: rutledge@atmos.colostate.edu
AF: Colorado State University, Department of Atmospheric Science, Fort Collins, CO 80523
AU: Cecil, D J
EM: Daniel.Cecil@msfc.nasa.gov
AF: University of Alabama - Huntsville, 320 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35805
AU: Zipser, E J
EM: ezipser@met.utah.edu
AF: University of Utah, 135 S 1460 E Rm 819, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0110
AB: The multi-year database of observations of radar, passive microwave, and lightning flash rates from the TRMM satellite has allowed examination of the properties of Tropical rainfall systems. This study seeks to use the University of Utah multi-year TRMM database to investigate the properties of rainfall systems having horizontal dimensions of rainfall on the mesoscale. Quantification of these systems properties is important for many climate implications because of their significant contribution to rainfall, heating budgets, rainfall estimation and hydrology, and the global electric circuit. The goals of this study are three-fold, including: (1) examining the sensitivity in regional rainfall contribution as a function of the definition of a mesoscale convective system (MCS), whether it be defined by radar or passive microwave sensors, rainfall or convective intensity thresholds, and/or by length or areal scales, (2) quantify the bulk regional and seasonal rainfall contribution, convective intensity, convective-stratiform partitioning, and lightning characteristics of MCSs based on radar or ice scattering definitions, (3) examine the internal vertical and horizontal structures (including rainfall rates) of MCSs on a regional basis by examining their radar reflectivity profiles, ice scattering intensities, and lightning flash rates as a function of horizontal and vertical morphology in both convective and stratiform regions. This will be performed by using the standard TRMM convective-stratiform separation as well as an automated pattern recognition algorithm to identify characteristic reflectivity structures (e.g. linear convective pattern vs. an embedded convection pattern).
DE: 1833 Hydroclimatology
DE: 3304 Atmospheric electricity
DE: 3314 Convective processes
DE: 3324 Lightning
DE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology
SC: Atmospheric and Space Electricity [AE]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting