1. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Characteristics of Convective Systems Observed During TRMM-LBA Rob Cifelli, Steve Nesbitt, and Steven A. Rutledge Colorado State University

2. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Amazon one of three primary regions of ascent in the Walker Circulation and an upward branch in the Hadley Circulation Copious precipitation/latent heat release, but relatively few detailed studies of deep convection Motivation for TRMM-LBA

3. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 TRMM-LBA Joint with Large-scale Biosphere Atmosphere experiment (LBA) Conducted in the State of Rondonia, Brazil (11 o S, 62 W; SW corner of Amazon) during Jan.-Feb. 1999 Goals: –Validation of TRMM satellite products –Validation of cloud models (e.g., GCEM) –Physics of convection and the processes driving convection Instrumentation: –Ground radar: S-pol and TOGA radars (kinematics, microphysics, rainfall) –Aircraft: ER-2 (TRMM simulator) and UND Citation (microphysics) –Soundings (3-Tethersonde and 4-Radiosonde) –NASA MSFC Brazilian Lightning Detection Network –NOAA dual-frequency wind profiler –Four raingauge networks, 2DVD and JW disdrometers –Other platforms (e.g., CCN, fluxes, flat plate antennas etc.)

4. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Radars and Tethersonde

5. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 TRMM-LBA Aircraft

6. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005

7. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 TRMM-LBA: Evidence of Convective Regimes West U-wind= Low CI, moist troposphere; monsoon-like convection Easterly U-wind= High CI, more dry troposphere; break-like convection

8. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Brazilian Lightning Detection Network (BLDN) Oscillations apparent East (west) anomalies =more (less) lightning. East Regime

9. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Time series PDFs of TRMM precipitation feature 30 dBZ echo top heights (left) and minimum 85 GHz PCT DJFM 1998-1999 TRMM-LBA Radar Ops Petersen et al. (2002)

10. Radar Observed Contrasts in TRMM-LBA Convection: Water Content Paucity of ice in mid-upper troposphere Easterly ConvectionWesterly Convection Active mixed phase microphysics Copious ice in mid-upper troposphere Significant differences in the vertical distribution of hydrometeors Ice (gm m -3 - thin solid lines), liquid (gm m -3 - color contours), mean drop diameter (mm - heavy solid lines)

11. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Mixed Phase Zone (4 - 8 km) Precipitation Ice and Rain Mass Westerly Easterly Westerly Easterly ICERAIN Frequency Distributions Polarimetric radar analyses to identify microphysical differences Courtesy: Dr. Lawrence Carey, Texas A&M

12. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 dBZ m s -1 Distance E-W from S-POL (km)Distance N-S from S-POL (km) Height (km) 25 February 1999 2340 UTC Y = 67 km 26 January 1999 2100 UTC X = 6 km EASTERLY REGIMEWESTERLY REGIME VERTICAL RADAR STRUCTURE

13. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Radar Observed Contrasts in TRMM-LBA Convection: Vertical Mass Transport Significant differences in intensity and lifecycle characteristics Height (km) 10 9 kg s -1 Easterly Convection Westerly Convection Time (UTC) Height (km)

14. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Profiler observations at Ji-Parana, Brazil 15 February 1999 (East) Stratiform rain with embedded convective cells Updrafts greater than 2 m/s above 6 km altitude Break period convective system viewed by profiler— C. Williams and K. Gage

15. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Relative Frequency Histograms of S- POL Radar Parameters 16 JAN 99 – 28 FEB 99 ZhZh D0D0 K dp R

16. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Composite Q 1 Profiles ER Convective Q 1 is broader due to importance of ice processes Difference in total Q 1 ’s largely due to WCSF

17. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 PDFs of TRMM precipitation feature characteristics as a function of wind regime in Rondônia DJFM 1997-2000 Petersen et al. (2002) TMI 85 & 37 GHz ice scattering PCTs PR echo top heights Higher optical depths of ice Higher radar tops

18. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Comparisons of PR, Ground-Based and Airborne Radar Data in TRMM LBA Heymsfield et al. (2000)

19. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Model-Observations Comparison, Tao and Lang, GSFC Observed CAPPI reflectivitySimulated CAPPI reflectivity Observed CFAD reflectivitySimulated CFAD reflectivity Comparisons between model and observations have led to improved microphysical parameterizations and latent heating profiles

20. 2nd International GPM GV Workshop Taipei, Taiwan, September 27-29, 2005 Integrated suite of measurements lead to identification of regimes in LBA Dual polarimetric radar is key for characterizing microphysical variability within regimes Gauge and disdrometer network important to evaluate errors in polarimetric rainfall measurements TRMM-LBA ground network provided a template for GPM GV More work is needed to understand the impact of regimes on satellite algorithms Lessons Learned From TRMM-LBA