Analysis of Raindrop Size Distribution and Estimation of Cloud Microphysical Processes Using Ground-Based Observations at Mountain Sites in Korea and at Other Sites in the East Asian Region

Abstract

Raindrop size distribution (RDSD) is important for a rainfall research and a quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) in meteorology and hydrology as well as understanding a uncertainty of a Cloud Microphysical Process (CMP) in climate change. Especially, the climate change has impacted precipitation in East Asia. Furthermore, rain and cloud patterns affect rainfall characteristics. RDSD is an necessary parameter to understand rainfall intensity in case of flood. In this study, RDSD was observed in 2010 and 2011 using particle size velocity (PARSIVEL) in Korea's mountainous regions. The CMPs for precipitation generation were estimated with the RDSD parameters using a conceptual model of the CMPs. This study show the differences of the CMPs in different climate regions by comparing the data of this study with those of previous studies at each site in East Asia and analyzes the most dominant CMP by rainfall intensity at each site. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system is used to define the climate at each site in East Asia in this study. The major CMPs in humid subtropical climate regions were “vapor deposition” (VD) below light rain rate, and “Mixed weak convection (WC)+collision and coalescence (CC)+ice-based and warm rain growth (ICWRG)” above moderate rain rates; in tropical rainforest climate region, they were “WC,” “CC,” “ICWRG”, and “Mixed WC + CC+ ICWRG”; in subarctic climate in high altitude regions and mega cities of hot summer continental climate, they were “VD” and “ICWRG”; in warm summer continental climate region they were “Mixed ICG and ICWRG”; and in dry winter humid subtropical climate region was “ICWRG”.

Keywords: Keywards: Raindrop size distribution (RDSD), Cloud microphysical process (CMP), particle size velocity (parsivel)