HR: 1340h
AN: H43E-0537    [Abstracts]
TI: A Continuous Spatial-temporal Stochastic Regional Rainfall Model Based on Historical Rain Gauge Data
AU: * Zhang, Z
EM: zpzhang@uchicago.edu
AF: University of Chicago, CISES, 5734 S Ellis Ave, Chicago, IL 60637 United States
AU: Switzer, P
EM: switzer@stanford.edu
AF: Stanford University, Dept Geol & Envir Sc Braun Hall, Stanford, CA 94305 United States
AB: Stochastic rainfall models are important tools both for practical issues and in studies of weather- and climate-sensitive systems. We propose a new, event-based, two-dimensional model that describes the regional-scale ground surface rainfall by a Boolean random field of rain patches. The model creates complex continuous-scale space-time structures with a mathematically tractable framework. The estimation procedure we developed bridges the gap between widely available historical data at individual rain gauges and the spatial nature of the rainfall process and the model. We assessed the model through simulations as well as theoretical calculations, and confirmed the model's capability to reproduce important statistics of the rainfall process. Hourly historical data at eight rain gauges in Alabama are used to illustrate the model. The model has potential applications in a variety of fields.
DE: 1847 Modeling
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
DE: 1869 Stochastic hydrology
DE: 1873 Uncertainty assessment (3275)
DE: 3329 Mesoscale meteorology
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005