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Main features of rain drop size distributions observed in Benin, West Africa, with optical disdrometers
Author(s) -
Moumouni Sounmaila,
Gosset Marielle,
Houngninou Etienne
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl035755
Subject(s) - squall line , rain rate , monsoon , environmental science , disdrometer , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , climatology , convection , physics , geology , precipitation , rain gauge
As part of the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) field campaign, rain Drop Size Distribution (DSD) measurements were carried out in Benin, in the Sudanese climatic zone, with optical disdrometers, over 3 rainy seasons. The observed DSDs are well modelled by a gamma distribution, with the value of the shape parameter ( μ ) close to 5. The average normalized intercept parameter (N 0 *) is close to 10 3 mm −1 m −3 . After classification of the convective and stratiform spectra, it is shown that for a given rain rate the proportion of the bigger drops is higher in the stratiform spectra, consistent with the observed occurrences of ‘N 0 jumps’ within the squall lines. Specific reflectivity‐rain rate (Z‐R) relationships were derived for the whole data set, for the squall lines and for the convective and stratiform regions.