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Latent Heating Retrieval from TRMM Observations Using a Simplified Thermodynamic ModelA procedure for the retrieval of hydrometeor latent heating from TRMM active and passive observations is presented. The procedure is based on current methods for estimating multiple-species hydrometeor profiles from TRMM observations. The species include: cloud water, cloud ice, rain, and graupel (or snow). A three-dimensional wind field is prescribed based on the retrieved hydrometeor profiles, and, assuming a steady-state, the sources and sinks in the hydrometeor conservation equations are determined. Then, the momentum and thermodynamic equations, in which the heating and cooling are derived from the hydrometeor sources and sinks, are integrated one step forward in time. The hydrometeor sources and sinks are reevaluated based on the new wind field, and the momentum and thermodynamic equations are integrated one more step. The reevalution-integration process is repeated until a steady state is reached. The procedure is tested using cloud model simulations. Cloud-model derived fields are used to synthesize TRMM observations, from which hydrometeor profiles are derived. The procedure is applied to the retrieved hydrometeor profiles, and the latent heating estimates are compared to the actual latent heating produced by the cloud model. Examples of procedure's applications to real TRMM data are also provided.
Document ID
20040034726
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Grecu, Mircea
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Olson, William S.
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2003
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: 26th Conference on Hurricane and Tropical Meteorology
Location: Miami, FL
Country: United States
Start Date: May 3, 2004
End Date: May 7, 2004
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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