HR: 10:35h
AN: H32A-02 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: Rainfall Measurement, Estimation, and Validation: A Practical Perspective
AU: * Krajewski, W F
EM: witold-krajewski@uiowa.edu
AF: IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa 300 South Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1585, United States
AU: Ciach, G J
EM: g-ciach@uiowa.edu
AF: IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa 300 South Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1585, United States
AU: Kruger, A
EM: anton-kruger@uiowa.edu
AF: IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa 300 South Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1585, United States
AU: Cunha, L
EM: luciana-cunha@uiowa.edu
AF: IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa 300 South Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1585, United States
AU: Frasson, R
EM: renatofrasson@uol.com.br
AF: IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, University of Iowa, The University of Iowa 300 South Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242-1585, United States
AU: Licznar, P
EM: licznarp@ozi.ar.wroc.pl
AF: Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C.K. Norwida 25/27, Wroclaw, 50- 375, Poland
AB: Measuring and estimating rainfall accurately continues to be a significant challenge. While rainfall is arguably the most dynamic water flux, thus crucial for predictive hydrologic models, monitoring its spatial and temporal variability is subject to observational difficulties. The authors discuss field activities focused on providing accurate data for validation studies of remote sensing based rainfall estimates. The activities include three operational rain gauge networks based in Iowa and Kansas. The authors present the instrumental and informational technologies used in operating these research networks. They also discuss evaluation efforts of optical and mechanical disdrometers. Drop size distribution data are crucial for the interpretation and improvements of satellite and radar remote sensing of rainfall. Quantities that are still lacking thorough understanding include the spatial variability of DSD characteristics at the scales smaller than those of the satellite and radar resolution, i.e. ~1-10 km. To obtain this information in the context relevant to hydrologic applications it is necessary to deploy a dense network of inexpensive but reliable disdrometers. The authors present comparison results of several collocated optical and mechanical disdrometers and tipping bucket rain gauges. They discuss the instruments' adequacy for such a deployment.
DE: 1853 Precipitation-radar
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting