RELAMPAGO-CACTI drop size distribution observations and the implications for cloud and hydrologic studies

Rivelli Zea, Lina Esther

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/108524 Copy

Description

Title

RELAMPAGO-CACTI drop size distribution observations and the implications for cloud and hydrologic studies

Author(s)

Rivelli Zea, Lina Esther

Issue Date

2020-07-21

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Nesbitt, Stephen W

Department of Study

Atmospheric Sciences

Discipline

Atmospheric Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Clouds
• Precipitation
• Drop size distributions
• Cloud microphysics

Abstract

Comparisons of drop size distributions (DSD) properties and rainfall modes among three deep convective regions (the U.S. Southern Great Plains, in Córdoba Province in subtropical South America, and Manacapuru in central Amazonia) where heavy rain-producing systems contribute the majority of rainfall in the largest river basins of the Americas, are conducted. Measurements from two types of disdrometers sampled at two of the three sites were considered, and subsequently separated into a light precipitation mode and a precipitation mode using a cutoff at 0.5 mm hr-1. The distributions of physical parameters (such as rain rate R, mass-weighted mean diameter Dm, and normalized droplet concentration Nw) for the raindrop spectra without classification appear to be similar amongst the sites, except for much broader distributions of Nw at the Córdoba site. In the light precipitation and precipitation modes, the dominant higher observed frequency of Nw in both types of disdrometers, as well as the identification of shallow, light precipitation in vertically-pointing cloud radar data represent a unique characteristic of the Córdoba site relative to the other sites. As a result, the co-variability between DSD physical parameters indicates that the precipitation observed at Córdoba may confound existing drop size distribution methods of determining rain type.

Graduation Semester

2020-08

Type of Resource

Thesis

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108524

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2020 Lina Esther Rivelli Zea.

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