Measurements of Raindrop Size Distributions In Tropical Rain In Costa Rica
Abstract
A period of several months observing drop size distributions (DSDs) for tropical rain is analysed here. The data were taken at San José, Costa Rica, with an Optical Spectro Pluviometer (OSP, developed by the CETP laboratories). The OSP was calibrated for the measurement campaign, and its measurements were validated with a co-located raingauge, in order to ensure the quality of the data.
Analysing each rain event individually, it was identified three different regimes of precipitation: Convective, Transition, and Stratiform. Each regime has distinct mi- crophysical properties, which are described in detail, in addition to some statistics on its frequency of occurrence. Rainfall integral parameters are then combined into mathematical relationships (Z-R relations) that can be used operationally for radar quantification of tropical rain in Central America.- Publication:
-
EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27.3680C