LTE is focusing on the small-scale variability of precipitation, and its effect on our ability to model and measure precipitation. We use disdrometer measurements of raindrop sizes, shapes, and concentrations to study the spatial and temporal properties of the microstructure and microphysical processes at play in rainfall. Through better understanding of these processes, we aim to improve the representativeness and accuracy of radar measurements and numerical models of precipitation. Recent work has focused on retrieval of the raindrop size distribution from polarimetric radar variables, and stochastic simulation of these distributions, both of which aim to allow for the study of rainfall variability from the point to the pixel scale.
Measured reflectivity field (left) and examples of reflectivity fields derived from simulated DSD fields (middle and right).
Collaborators involved: T. Raupach