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NASA NTRS1999

The Role of Orograph and Parallax Corrections on High Resolution Geostationary Satellite Rainfall Estimates for Flash Flood Applications

The current generation of geosynchronous satellites exhibits considerably improved capabilities in the area of resolution, gridding accuracy, and sampling frequency as compared to their predecessors. These improvements have made it possible to accurately observe the life cycle of small scale, short-live phenomenon like rapidly developing thunderstorms, at a very high spatial and temporal resolutions. While the gain in the improved resolution is not significant for synoptic scale cloud systems, it plays a major role on the computation of precipitation values for mesoscale and stonn scale systems. Two of the important factor on the accurate precision of precipitation from satellite imagery are the position of the cloud tops as viewed by the satellite and the influence of orographic effects on the distribution of precipitation. The first problem has to do with the fact that the accurate estimation of precipitation from data collected by a satellite in geosynchronous orbit requires the knowledge of the exact position of the cloud tops with respect to the ground below. This is not a problem when a cloud is located directly below the satellite; at large viewing angles the geographic coordinates on satellite images are dependent on cloud heights and distance from the sub-satellite point. The latitude and longitude coordinates for high convective cloud tops are displaced away from the sub-satellite point and may be shifted by as much as 20 Km from the sea level coordinates. The second problem has to do with the variations in rainfall distribution with elevation. Ground observations have shown that precipitation amounts tend to increase with height and that the slope of the hill or mountain that is facing the prevailing wind normally receives greater rainfall then do the lee slopes. The purpose of the study is to show the recent developments at the Office of Research and Applications (ORA) at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA/NESDIS) in Camp Springs, MD, USA, to adjust any satellite rainfall estimation technique and account for orographic and parallax corrections. Description and examples of the procedure applied to the current NOAA/NESDIS experimental satellite rainfall estimation technique for flash flood applications will be presented at the conference.

Vicente, Gilberto A.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Coherent Modes of Global SST and Summer Rainfall over China: An Assessment of the Regional Impacts of the 1997-98 El Nino/ La Nina

In this paper, we have identified three principal modes of summertime rainfall variability over China and global sea surface temperature (SST) for the period 1955-1998. Using these modes, we have assessed the impact of the El Nino/La Nina on major drought and flood occurrence over China during 1997-1998. The first mode can be identified with the growth phase of El Nino superimposed on a linear warming trend since the mid-1950s. This mode strongly influences rainfall over northern China. The second mode comprises of a quasi-biennial tendency manifested in alternate wet and dry years over the Yangtze River Valley (YRV) of central China. The third mode is dominated by a quasi-decadal oscillation in eastern China between the Yangtze River and the Yellow River. Using a mode-by-mode reconstruction, we evaluate the impacts of the various principal modes on the 1997 and 1998 observed rainfall anomaly. We find that the severe drought in northern China, and to a lesser degree the flood in southern China, in 1997 is likely a result of the influence of anomalous SST forcing during the growth phase of the El Nino. In addition, rainfall in southern China may be influenced by the decadal or long-term SST variability. The severe flood over the Yangtze River Valley in 1998 is associated with the biennial tendency of basin scale SST during the transition from El Nino to La Nina in 1997-98. Additionally, the observed prolonged drought over northern China and increasing flooding over the YRV since the 1950s may be associated with a long-term warming trend in the tropical Indian and western Pacific ocean. During 1997, the El Nino SST exacerbated the drought situation over northern China. In 1998, the drought appeared to get temporary relief from the La Nina anomalous SST forcing.

Lau, K.-M.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Tests of Radar Rainfall Retrieval Algorithms

The NASA/JPL Airborne Rain Mapping Radar (ARMAR) operates at 14 GHz. ARMAR flew on the NASA DC-8 aircraft during Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere (TOGA) Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE), collecting data in oceanic mesoscale convective systems, similar to those now being observed by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, which includes a 14-GHz precipitation radar. Several algorithms for retrieving rain rate from downward looking radars are in existence. These can be categorized as deterministic and stochastic. Deterministic algorithms use the path integrated attenuation (PIA), measured by the surface reference technique, as a constraint. One deterministic algorithm corrects the attenuation-rainfall (k-R) relation, while another corrects the reflectivity rainfall (ZR) relation. Stochastic algorithms apply an Extended Kalman Filter to the reflectivity profile. One employs radar reflectivity only; the other additionally uses the PIA. We find that the stochastic algorithm with PIA is the most robust algorithm with regard to incorrect assumptions about the drop-size distribution (DSD). The deterministic algorithm that uses the PIA to adjust the Z-R relation is also fairly robust and produces rain rates similar to the stochastic algorithm that uses the PIA. The deterministic algorithm that adjusts only the k-R relation and the stochastic radar-only algorithm are more sensitive to assumptions about the DSD. It is likely that they underestimate convective rainfall, especially if the DSD is erroneously assumed to be appropriate for stratiform rain conditions. The underestimation is illustrated in the diagram. The algorithm labeled D IS initially assumes a DSD that is appropriate for stratiform. rain, while the rain is most likely convective. The PIA constraint causes the k-R relation to be adjusted, resulting in a much lower rain rate than the other algorithms. Additional information is contained in the original.

Durden, Stephen L.↗

NASA NTRS2000

System Concepts for the Advanced Post-TRMM Rainfall Profiling Radars

Global rainfall is the primary distributor of latent heat through atmospheric circulation. The recently launched Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite is dedicated to advance our understanding of tropical precipitation patterns and their implications on global climate and its change. The Precipitation Radar (PR) aboard the satellite is the first radar ever flown in space and has provided. exciting, new data on the 3-D rain structures for a variety of scientific uses. However, due to the limited mission lifetime and the dynamical nature of precipitation, the TRMM PR data acquired cannot address all the issues associated with precipitation, its related processes, and the long-term climate variability. In fact, a number of new post-TRMM mission concepts have emerged in response to the recent NASA's request for new ideas on Earth science missions at the post 2002 era. This paper will discuss the system concepts for two advanced, spaceborne rainfall profiling radars. In the first portion of this paper, we will present a system concept for a second-generation spaceborne precipitation radar for operations at the Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The key PR-2 electronics system will possess the following capabilities: (1) A 13.6/35 GHz dual frequency radar electronics that has Doppler and dual-polarization capabilities. (2) A large but light weight, dual-frequency, wide-swath scanning, deployable antenna. (3) Digital chirp generation and the corresponding on-board pulse compression scheme. This will allow a significant improvement on rain signal detection without using the traditional, high-peak-power transmitters and without sacrificing the range resolution. (4) Radar electronics and algorithm to adaptively scan the antenna so that more time can be spent to observe rain rather than clear air. and (5) Built-in flexibility on the radar parameters and timing control such that the same radar can be used by different future rain missions. This will help to reduce the overall instrument development costs. In the second portion of this paper, we will present a system concept for a geostationary rainfall monitoring radar for operations at the geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO). In particular, the science requirements, the observational strategy, the instrument design, and the required technologies will be discussed.

Im, Eastwood↗

NASA NTRS2000

Sampling Errors of SSM/I and TRMM Rainfall Averages: Comparison with Error Estimates from Surface Data and a Sample Model

Quantitative use of satellite-derived maps of monthly rainfall requires some measure of the accuracy of the satellite estimates. The rainfall estimate for a given map grid box is subject to both remote-sensing error and, in the case of low-orbiting satellites, sampling error due to the limited number of observations of the grid box provided by the satellite. A simple model of rain behavior predicts that Root-mean-square (RMS) random error in grid-box averages should depend in a simple way on the local average rain rate, and the predicted behavior has been seen in simulations using surface rain-gauge and radar data. This relationship was examined using satellite SSM/I data obtained over the western equatorial Pacific during TOGA COARE. RMS error inferred directly from SSM/I rainfall estimates was found to be larger than predicted from surface data, and to depend less on local rain rate than was predicted. Preliminary examination of TRMM microwave estimates shows better agreement with surface data. A simple method of estimating rms error in satellite rainfall estimates is suggested, based on quantities that can be directly computed from the satellite data.

Bell, Thomas L.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Effects of Nonuniform Beam Filling on Rainfall Retrieval for the TRMM Precipitation Radar

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) will carry the first spaceborne radar for rainfall observation. Because the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) footprint size of 4.3 km is greater than the scale of some convective rainfall events, there is concern that nonuniform filling of the PR antenna beam may bias the retrieved rain-rate profile. The authors investigate this effect theoretically and then observationally using data from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Airborne Rain Mapping Radar (ARMAR), acquired during Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment in early 1993. The authors' observational approach is to simulate TRMM PR data using the ARMAR data and compare the radar observables and retrieved rain rate from the simulated PR data with those corresponding to the high-resolution radar measurements. The authors find that the path-integrated attenuation and the resulting path-averaged rain rate are underestimated. The reflectivity and rain rate near the top of the rainfall column are overestimated. The near-surface reflectivity can be overestimated or underestimated, with a mean error very close to zero. The near-surface rain rate, however, is usually underestimated, sometimes severely.

Durden, Stephen L.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Evaluation of Various Radar Data Quality Control Algorithms Based on Accumulated Radar Rainfall Statistics

The primary function of the TRMM Ground Validation (GV) Program is to create GV rainfall products that provide basic validation of satellite-derived precipitation measurements for select primary sites. A fundamental and extremely important step in creating high-quality GV products is radar data quality control. Quality control (QC) processing of TRMM GV radar data is based on some automated procedures, but the current QC algorithm is not fully operational and requires significant human interaction to assure satisfactory results. Moreover, the TRMM GV QC algorithm, even with continuous manual tuning, still can not completely remove all types of spurious echoes. In an attempt to improve the current operational radar data QC procedures of the TRMM GV effort, an intercomparison of several QC algorithms has been conducted. This presentation will demonstrate how various radar data QC algorithms affect accumulated radar rainfall products. In all, six different QC algorithms will be applied to two months of WSR-88D radar data from Melbourne, Florida. Daily, five-day, and monthly accumulated radar rainfall maps will be produced for each quality-controlled data set. The QC algorithms will be evaluated and compared based on their ability to remove spurious echoes without removing significant precipitation. Strengths and weaknesses of each algorithm will be assessed based on, their abilit to mitigate both erroneous additions and reductions in rainfall accumulation from spurious echo contamination and true precipitation removal, respectively. Contamination from individual spurious echo categories will be quantified to further diagnose the abilities of each radar QC algorithm. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis will be conducted to determine if a more automated QC algorithm is a viable alternative to the current, labor-intensive QC algorithm employed by TRMM GV.

Robinson, Michael↗

NASA NTRS2001

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission: Monitoring the Global Tropics for 3 Years and Beyond

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) was launched in November 1997 as a joint U.S.-Japanese mission to advance understanding of the global energy and water cycle by providing distributions of rainfall and latent heating over the global tropics. As a part of NASA's Earth System Enterprise, TRMM seeks to understand the mechanisms through which changes in tropical rainfall influence global circulation. Additionally, a goal is to improve the ability to model these processes in order to predict global circulations and rainfall variability at monthly and longer time scales. Such understanding has implications for assessing climate processes related to El Nino/La Nina and Global Warming. TRMM has also provided unexpected and exciting new knowledge and applications in areas related to hurricane monitoring, lightning, pollution, hydrology, and other areas. This CD-ROM includes a self-contained PowerPoint presentation that provides an overview of TRMM and significant science results; a set of data movies or animation; and listings of current TRMM-related publications in the literature.

Shepherd, Marshall↗

NASA NTRS2002

The Impact of Amazonian Deforestation on Dry-Season Rainfall

Many modeling studies have concluded that widespread deforestation of Amazonia would lead to decreased rainfall. We analyze geosynchronous infrared satellite data with respect percent cloudiness, and analyze rain estimates from microwave sensors aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. We conclude that in the dry-season, when the effects of the surface are not overwhelmed by synoptic-scale weather disturbances, deep convective cloudiness, as well as rainfall occurrence, all increase over the deforested and non-forested (savanna) regions. This is in response to a local circulation initiated by the differential heating of the region's varying forestation. Analysis of the diurnal cycle of cloudiness reveals a shift toward afternoon hours in the deforested and savanna regions, compared to the forested regions. Analysis of 14 years of data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager data revealed that only in August did rainfall amounts increase over the deforested region.

Negri, Andrew J.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Role of Satellite Rainfall Information in Improving Understanding of the Dynamical Link Between the Tropics and Extratropics Prospects of Improved Forecasts of Weather and Short-Term Climate Variability on Sub-Seasonal Time Scales

The tropics and extratropics are two dynamically distinct regimes. The coupling between these two regimes often defies simple analytical treatment. Progress in understanding of the dynamical interaction between the tropics and extratropics relies on better observational descriptions to guide theoretical development. However, global analyses currently contain significant errors in primary hydrological variables such as precipitation, evaporation, moisture, and clouds, especially in the tropics. Tropical analyses have been shown to be sensitive to parameterized precipitation processes, which are less than perfect, leading to order-one discrepancies between estimates produced by different data assimilation systems. One strategy for improvement is to assimilate rainfall observations to constrain the analysis and reduce uncertainties in variables physically linked to precipitation. At the Data Assimilation Office at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, we have been exploring the use of tropical rain rates derived from the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) and the Special Sensor Microwave/ Imager (SSM/I) instruments in global data assimilation. Results show that assimilating these data improves not only rainfall and moisture fields but also related climate parameters such as clouds and radiation, as well as the large-scale circulation and short-range forecasts. These studies suggest that assimilation of microwave rainfall observations from space has the potential to significantly improve the quality of 4-D assimilated datasets for climate investigations (Hou et al. 2001). In the next few years, there will be a gradual increase in microwave rain products available from operational and research satellites, culminating to a target constellation of 9 satellites to provide global rain measurements every 3 hours with the proposed Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission in 2007. Continued improvements in assimilation methodology, rainfall error estimates, and model parameterizations are needed to ensure that we derive maximum benefits from these observations.

Hou, Arthur Y.↗

NASA NTRS2003

The Impact of a Amazonian Deforestation on Dry-Season Rainfall

Many modeling studies have concluded that widespread deforestation of Amazonia would lead to decreased rainfall. We analyze geosynchronous infrared satellite data with respect to percent cloudiness, and analyze rain estimates from microwave sensors aboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. We conclude that in the dry-season, when the effects of the surface are not overwhelmed by synoptic-scale weather disturbances, shallow cumulus cloudiness, deep convective cloudiness, and rainfall occurrence all are larger over the deforested and non-forested (savanna) regions than over areas of dense jungle. This difference is in response to a local circulation initiated by the differential heating of the region s varying forestation. Analysis of the diurnal cycle of cloudiness reveals a shift in the onset of convection toward afternoon hours in the deforested and towards the morning hours in the savanna regions when compared to the neighboring forested regions. Analysis of 14 years of monthly estimates from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager data revealed that in only in August was there a pattern of higher monthly rainfall amounts over the deforested region.

Negri, Andrew J.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Lightning Contribution to Improvement of Passive Microwave Vertical Structure and Rainfall Estimation

Joint observations from the TRMM mission are used to examine the contribution which lightning observations can make towards estimation of vertical structure and rainfall from passive microwave data. Passive microwave (TMI) observations are binned into distinct vertical structure categories based on cluster analysis of radar (PR) vertical profiles and convective/stratiform (C/S) classifiers. TMI rain estimates are high-biased relative to radar for stratiform and mixed convective/stratiform vertical structures and low-biased relative to radar for convective structures. Significant ambiguity exists in the TMI brightness temperature space between midlevel stratiform and convective profile types which are primary contributors to tropical rainfall. The ambiguity is worst for convective profile types with radar echo tops within and just above the mixed-phase region. The ability of TMI data (including all low and high frequency polarized brightness temperatures; 19V, 19H, 21V, 37V, 37H, 85V, 85H) to predict vertical structure is assessed. The incremental benefit of including TMI convective/stratiform (C/S) classifiers (both 85 GHz polarization and 19, 37 and 85 GHz texture-based) and LZS lightning observations is then considered. The use of all parameters (brightness temperatures, TMI C/S classifiers, lightning data, predicted vertical structure) to reduce TMI/PR rainfall estimate scatter is demonstrated. For both vertical structure and rainfall estimation, inclusion of C/S classifiers and lightning observations provide statistical skill improvements but do not completely alleviate critical midlevel profile C/S ambiguity and related rain estimate errors.

Boccippio, Dennis↗

NASA NTRS2007

Interannual Variability of Boreal Summer Rainfall in the Equatorial Atlantic

Tropical Atlantic rainfall patterns and variation during boreal summer [June-July-August (JJA)] are quantified by means of a 28-year (1979-2006) monthly precipitation dataset from the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP). Rainfall variability during boreal spring [March-April-May (MAM)] is also examined for comparison in that the most intense interannual variability is usually observed during this season. Comparable variabilities in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) strength and the basin-mean rainfall are found during both seasons. Interannual variations in the ITCZ's latitudinal location during JJA however are generally negligible, in contrasting to intense year-to-year fluctuations during MAM. Sea surface temperature (SST) oscillations along the equatorial region (usually called the Atlantic Nino events) and in the tropical north Atlantic (TNA) are shown to be the two major local factors modulating the tropical Atlantic climate during both seasons. During MAM, both SST modes tend to contribute to the formation of an evident interhemispheric SST gradient, thus inducing anomalous shifting of the ITCZ and then forcing a dipolar structure of rainfall anomalies across the equator primarily in the western basin. During JJA the impacts however are primarily on the ITCZ strength likely due to negligible changes in the ITCZ latitudinal location. The Atlantic Nino reaches its peak in JJA, while much weaker SST anomalies appear north of the equator in JJA than in MAM, showing decaying of the interhemispheric SST mode. SST anomalies in the tropical central-eastern Pacific (the El Nino events) have a strong impact on tropical Atlantic including both the tropical north Atlantic and the equatorial-southern Atlantic. However, anomalous warming in the tropical north Atlantic following positive SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific disappears during JJA because of seasonal changes in the large-scale circulation cutting off the ENSO influence passing through the mid-latitudes. Hence the anomalies associated with the tropical Pacific during JJA are forced through an anomalous Walker circulation primarily working on the western basin, and likely a lagged oceanic response in the equatorial region.

Gu, Guojun↗

NASA NTRS2010

Fingerprinting the Impacts of Aerosols on Long-Term Trends of the Indian Summer Monsoon Regional Rainfall

In this paper, we present corroborative observational evidences from satellites, in-situ observations, and re-analysis data showing possible impacts of absorbing aerosols (black carbon and dust) on subseasonal and regional summer monsoon rainfall over India. We find that increased absorbing aerosols in the Indo-Gangetic Plain in recent decades may have lead to long-term warming of the upper troposphere over northern India and the Tibetan Plateau, enhanced rainfall in northern India and the Himalayas foothill regions in the early part (may-June) of the monsoon season, followed by diminished rainfall over central and southern India in the latter part (July-August) of the monsoon season. These signals which are consistent with current theories of atmospheric heating and solar dimming by aerosol and induced cloudiness in modulating the Indian monsoon, would have been masked by conventional method of using al-India rainfall averaged over the entire monsoon season.

Laul, K. M.↗

NASA NTRS2014

A Web Architecture to Geographically Interrogate CHIRPS Rainfall and eMODIS NDVI for Land Use Change

Monitoring of rainfall and vegetation over the continent of Africa is important for assessing the status of crop health and agriculture, along with long‐term changes in land use change. These issues can be addressed through examination of long‐term precipitation (rainfall) data sets and remote sensing of land surface vegetation and land use types. Two products have been used previously to address these goals: the Climate Hazard Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) rainfall data, and multi‐day composites of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from the USGS eMODIS product. Combined, these are very large data sets that require unique tools and architecture to facilitate a variety of data analysis methods or data exploration by the end user community. To address these needs, a web‐enabled system has been developed to allow end‐users to interrogate CHIRPS rainfall and eMODIS NDVI data over the continent of Africa. The architecture allows end‐users to use custom defined geometries, or the use of predefined political boundaries in their interrogation of the data. The massive amount of data interrogated by the system allows the end‐users with only a web browser to extract vital information in order to investigate land use change and its causes. The system can be used to generate daily, monthly and yearly averages over a geographical area and range of dates of interest to the user. It also provides analysis of trends in precipitation or vegetation change for times of interest. The data provided back to the end‐user is displayed in graphical form and can be exported for use in other, external tools. The development of this tool has significantly decreased the investment and requirements for end‐users to use these two important datasets, while also allowing the flexibility to the end‐user to limit the search to the area of interest.

Burks, Jason E.↗

NASA NTRS2015

A Web Service and Android Application for the Distribution of Rainfall Estimates and Earth Observation Data

The full potential of Satellite Rainfall Estimates (SRE) can only be realized if timely access to the datasets is possible. Existing data distribution web portals are often focused on global products and offer limited customization options, especially for the purpose of routine regional monitoring. Furthermore, most online systems are designed to meet the needs of desktop users, limiting the compatibility with mobile devices. In response to the growing demand for SRE and to address the current limitations of available web portals a project was devised to create a set of freely available applications and services, available at a common portal that can: (1) simplify cross-platform access to Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Online Visualization and Analysis System (TOVAS) data (including from Android mobile devices), (2) provide customized and continuous monitoring of SRE in response to user demands and (3) combine data from different online data distribution services, including rainfall estimates, river gauge measurements or imagery from Earth Observation missions at a single portal, known as the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Explorer. The TRMM Explorer project suite includes a Python-based web service and Android applications capable of providing SRE and ancillary data in different intuitive formats with the focus on regional and continuous analysis. The outputs include dynamic plots, tables and data files that can also be used to feed downstream applications and services. A case study in Southern Angola is used to describe the potential of the TRMM Explorer for SRE distribution and analysis in the context of ungauged watersheds. The development of a collection of data distribution instances helped to validate the concept and identify the limitations of the program, in a real context and based on user feedback. The TRMM Explorer can successfully supplement existing web portals distributing SRE and provide a cost-efficient resource to small and medium-sized organizations with specific SRE monitoring needs, namely in developing and transition countries.

precipitation↗

NASA NTRS2020

Increased Likelihood of Appreciable Afternoon Rainfall Over Wetter or Drier Soils Dependent Upon atmospheric Dynamic Influence

The relationship between morning soil moisture and afternoon rainfall persists as an important yet unresolved challenge in land‐atmosphere interaction study, complicated in part by atmospheric influence. Here, we address this relationship by utilizing NASA's satellite soil moisture and precipitation data for the warm season (June–September) of 2015–2019 over Northern Hemisphere land (0–60°N). Raining days are partitioned into low, medium, and high regimes of atmospheric water vapor convergence. Under the low convergence regime, afternoon rainfall is more likely to occur over wetter soils or higher relative humidity; for days with high moisture convergence, occurrence favors drier soils or lower relative humidity. For each regime, afternoon rainfall occurrence favors warmer morning soil or air temperature. These conclusions are not affected by the threshold magnitude utilized to identify afternoon rainfall events by accumulation, but the threshold value does affect the soil moisture (or relative humidity)‐precipitation relationship when convergence regimes are not considered.

J. Welty↗

NASA NTRS2020

Evaluating Precipitation Features and Rainfall Characteristics in a Multi‐Scale Modeling Framework

Cloud and precipitation systems are simulated with a multi‐scale modeling framework (MMF) and compared over the Tropics and Subtropics against the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Radar‐defined Precipitation Features (RPFs) product. A methodology, in close analogy to the TRMM RPFs, is developed to produce simulated precipitation features (PFs) from the output of the embedded two‐dimensional (2D) cloud‐resolving models (CRMs) within an MMF. Despite the limitations of 2D CRMs, the simulated population distribution, horizontal and vertical structure of PFs, and the geographical location and local rainfall contribution of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) are in good agreement with the TRMM observations. However, some model discrepancies are found and can be identified and quantified within the PF distributions. Using model biases in relative population and rainfall contributions, PFs can be characterized into four size categories: small, medium to large, very large, and extremely large. Four different major mechanisms might account for the model biases in each different category: (1) the two‐dimensionality of the CRMs, (2) a positive convection‐wind‐evaporation feedback loop, (3) an artificial dynamic constraint in a bounded CRM domain with cyclic boundaries, and (4) the limited CRM domain size. The second and fourth mechanisms tend to contribute to the excessive tropical precipitation biases commonly found in most MMFs, whereas the other mechanisms reduce rainfall contributions from small and very large PFs. MMF sensitivity experiments with various CRM domain sizes and grid spacings showed that larger domains (higher resolutions) tend to shift PF populations toward larger (smaller) sizes.

Jiun-Dar Chern↗