A Cloud and Precipitation Feature Database from Nine Years of TRMM Observations

Liu, Chuntao; Zipser, Edward J.; Cecil, Daniel J.; Nesbitt, Stephen W.; Sherwood, Steven C.

doi:10.1175/2008jamc1890.1

Cited by 337 publications

(343 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

327

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…[10] During 1998-2011, more than 28 million RPFs and 21 million CFs are identified from the TRMM PR observations over 36 S-36 N, most of which are over the ocean ( Table 1 RPFs and CFs are similar to and consistent with past studies [Nesbitt et al, 2000;Liu et al 2008] and are not shown here. We mainly focus on describing the properties of the CFs with large areas in the following sections.…”

Section: Global Distribution Of Organized Convectionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…After recording the general information of RPF size (total pixel numbers), mean rain rate, convective rain contribution, etc., the convective intensity proxies for each PF, such as minimum 85 GHz polarization corrected temperature (PCT) [Spencer et al, 1989] estimated from TRMM Microwave Imager observed radiance, the maximum heights of PR 30 and 40 dBZ, and flash counts observed by the TRMM Lightning Imaging Sensor for each RPF, are analyzed. Additional information on the RPF database and its uses can be found in Liu et al [2008]. Using similar methodology, the convective features (CFs) are identified by grouping the contiguous pixels with convective precipitation that are categorized by the PR rain type algorithm [Awaka et al, 1998.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Regional variation of morphology of organized convection in the tropics and subtropics

Liu

Zipser

2013

JGR Atmospheres

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] Properties of organized convection with large horizontal area (> 1000 km 2 ) and with different horizontal structures in the tropics and subtropics are investigated by using 14 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission observations. First, the convective features (CFs) are defined as contiguous areas of convective precipitation detected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission precipitation radar. Using the minor and major axes of fitted ellipses, the morphology of the CFs are described as closer to a circular or a line shape. Regional variations and the properties of organized convection are examined with CFs with area > 1000 km 2 after categorizing them by their shapes. Organized convection tends to have larger extent and a higher fraction of near-circular shapes over land than over ocean. Shallow organized convection with maximum radar echo top height below 4.5 km is found mainly over ocean and some coastal regions. Of all tropical oceans, most shallow organized convection is found over the east Pacific. The fraction of line shaped organized convection is higher over the ocean than over land, and is higher in the subtropics than in the tropics. More convective lines are found in winter than in summer over oceans, but more in summer over land. Organized convective lines are slightly less convectively intense indicated by lower 30 dBZ echo top heights and warmer 37 GHz brightness temperatures than those with near-circular shapes. Orientations of organized convective lines are often aligned with fronts, dry lines, warm ocean currents, coastlines, and mountain slopes. Over the subtropics, organized convective lines are tilted more east-west over land, and more north-south over oceans. The largest and the most intense convective lines are found over central Africa, Argentina, and southeast U.S. over land, and over several warm currents in subtropical oceans.

show abstract

Section: Global Distribution Of Organized Convectionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional variation of morphology of organized convection in the tropics and subtropics

Liu

Zipser

2013

JGR Atmospheres

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Other things being equal, updrafts over land are likely to have higher supercooled liquid water contents than over ocean, where cloud water is converted to rain more quickly and depletes cloud water more efficiently before the updraft reaches the mixed-phase region. Also, the greatest difference between land and ocean in Figure 7 is in the temperature range of −5°C to −8°C (∼6 km), above which oceanic clouds often have a very rapid decrease in reflectivity with altitude compared with continental clouds [Zipser and Lutz, 1994;Liu et al, 2008], so it is possible that many of the oceanic (land) systems with large areas of 35 dBZ echo at −6°C have smaller (larger) area of 35 dBZ at −10°C to −15°C where charge separation is more likely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[13] This study is based on precipitating features (storm scale), using the 11 years long TRMM precipitation feature (PF) database [Nesbitt et al, 2000;Liu et al, 2008]. Lightning data are from observations by the TRMM LIS, while thunderstorm parameters are based on measurements from the TRMM precipitation radar (PR) and microwave imager (TMI).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

On the relationships between lightning frequency and thundercloud parameters of regional precipitation systems

Zipser

Liu

et al. 2010

J. Geophys. Res.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

[1] Seasonal variations on lightning activity of precipitation systems over south China and Taiwan before and after the onset of Mei-Yu have been observed by the lightning imager sensor (LIS) on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite. Lightning storms before Mei-Yu onset show higher probability of lightning, higher flash rate, and larger radar reflectivity in the mixed-phase region than the Mei-Yu regime. However, the probability of lightning occurrence with the same threshold of maximum radar reflectivity or ice scattering signature is similar for land systems before and during Mei-Yu season. Oceanic systems show slightly lower probability of lightning even with the same thresholds. Relationships between a set of TRMM-observed parameters and LIS lightning frequency are further examined. For lightning systems over land, the total area of radar echo above 35 dBZ has a closer relationship with lightning flash rate at the temperature between −5°C and −15°C than other parameters. Area of lower radar reflectivity at colder temperature, e.g., area of 20 dBZ at −40°C, is also highly correlated with lightning frequency. The highest correlation between area of specific radar reflectivity and lightning frequency is found at lower temperatures when the oceanic lightning systems are examined.

show abstract

Investigating links between climate and orography in the central Andes: Coupling erosion and precipitation using a physical-statistical model

Lowman

Barros

2014

J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Prior studies evaluated the interplay between climate and orography by investigating the sensitivity of relief to precipitation using the stream power erosion law (SPEL) for specified erosion rates. Here we address the inverse problem, inferring realistic spatial distributions of erosion rates for present-day topography and contemporaneous climate forcing. In the central Andes, similarities in the altitudinal distribution and density of first-order stream outlets and precipitation suggest a direct link between climate and fluvial erosion. Erosion rates are estimated with a Bayesian physical-statistical model based on the SPEL applied at spatial scales that capture joint hydrogeomorphic and hydrometeorological patterns within five river basins and one intermontane basin in Peru and Bolivia. Topographic slope and area data were generated from a high-resolution (∼90 m) digital elevation map, and mean annual precipitation was derived from 14 years of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission 3B42v.7 product and adjusted with rain gauge data. Estimated decadal-scale erosion rates vary between 0.68 and 11.59 mm/yr, with basin averages of 2.1-8.5 mm/yr. Even accounting for uncertainty in precipitation and simplifying assumptions, these values are 1-2 orders of magnitude larger than most millennial and million year timescale estimates in the central Andes, using various geological dating techniques (e.g., thermochronology and cosmogenic nuclides), but they are consistent with other decadal-scale estimates using landslide mapping and sediment flux observations. The results also reveal a pattern of spatially dependent erosion consistent with basin hypsometry. The modeling framework provides a means of remotely estimating erosion rates and associated uncertainties under current climate conditions over large regions.

show abstract

A Cloud and Precipitation Feature Database from Nine Years of TRMM Observations

Cited by 337 publications

References 32 publications

Regional variation of morphology of organized convection in the tropics and subtropics

Regional variation of morphology of organized convection in the tropics and subtropics

On the relationships between lightning frequency and thundercloud parameters of regional precipitation systems

Investigating links between climate and orography in the central Andes: Coupling erosion and precipitation using a physical-statistical model

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About