Space-time scaling properties of TRMM-LBA rainfall data

This work investigates high variability and non-linearity of rainfall in space and time by multifractal techniques. The main purpose is to verify the presence of self-similar or self-affinity rainfall regimes and to calibrate rainfall downscaling models able to statistically reproduce the observed space-time scaling. The analysis is conducted on "land" rainfall data extracted from TRMM-LBA radar dataset (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission - Large Scale Biosphere Atmosphere Experiment). Results are then compared with those of previous researches based instead on "oceanic" campaigns: GATE (GARP, Global Atmospheric Research Program, Atlantic Tropical Experiment) and TOGA-COARE (Tropical Ocean - Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Response Experiment).