Evaluation of extreme precipitation based on satellite retrievals over China

doi:10.1007/s11707-017-0643-2

Front. Earth Sci.

2018, Vol. 12

Issue (4) : 846-861 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-017-0643-2

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Evaluation of extreme precipitation based on satellite retrievals over China

Xuerongzi HUANG¹, Dashan WANG³, Yu LIU¹, Zhizhou FENG¹, Dagang WANG^1,^2,³(

)

¹. Department of Water Resources and Environment, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
². Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Water Security in Southern China of Guangdong High Education Institute, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
³. Center of Integrated Geographic Information Analysis, School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to evaluate satellite precipitation extremes of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 Version 7 product over China during the period of 2009–2013. Eight extreme indices are used to characterize precipitation extremes: monthly maximum 1-day precipitation (RX1day), monthly maximum consecutive 2-day precipitation (RX2day), monthly maximum 5-day consecutive precipitation (RX5day), simple daily intensity index (SDII), annual total precipitation amount for the wet days (PRCPTOT), annual wet days (R1), consecutive dry days (CDD), and consecutive wet days (CWD). The precipitation amount for indices RX1day, RX2day, RX5day, and PRCPTOT is well captured by TRMM 3B42-V7, as verified by lower mean relative bias and normalized root mean square error and the high spatial correlation coefficient. In contrast, the performance of TRMM 3B42-V7 in depicting the indices on intensity and duration (i.e., SDII, R1, CDD, and CWD) is not as good as its performance in depicting the precipitation amount indices. TRMM 3B42-V7 can reproduce extreme indices better in eastern China than in western China, and better in summer than in winter. Probability density function is also calculated better for RX1day, RX2day, RX5day, and PRCPTOT than for SDII, R1, CDD, and CWD. Investigation on the monthly time series of RX1day, RX2day, and RX5day at different spatial scales indicates that TRMM 3B42-V7 performs better at the large spatial scale than at the grid cell scale. Caution should be observed when the satellite-based extreme indices are used.

Keywords satellite extreme precipitation TRMM China

Corresponding Author(s): Dagang WANG

Just Accepted Date: 27 May 2017 Online First Date: 21 June 2017 Issue Date: 20 November 2018

Cite this article:

Xuerongzi HUANG,Dashan WANG,Yu LIU, et al. Evaluation of extreme precipitation based on satellite retrievals over China[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2018, 12(4): 846-861.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-017-0643-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2018/V12/I4/846

Tab.1 Relative bias (MRB) of TRMM 3B42-V7 against CPAP for different regions and different seasons. Western (eastern) China here is defined as west (east) of 105°E

Tab.2 The mean of PRCPTOT, R1, SDII, CDD and CWD based on gauge observations, and root mean square error (RMSE), relative bias (RB), and correlation coefficient (CC) of TRMM 3B42 against CPAP for different regions

Tab.3 Normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of TRMM 3B42-V7 against CPAP for different regions and different seasons. Western (eastern) China here is defined as west (east) of 105°E

Tab.4 Correlation coefficient (CC) of TRMM 3B42-V7 against CPAP for different regions and different seasons. Western (eastern) China here is defined as west (east) of 105°E

Fig.1 The relative frequency of (a) RX1day, (b) RX2day, and (c) RX5day derived from CPAP and TRMM 3B42-V7 1) annually, and in four seasons: 2) spring, 3) summer, 4) autumn, 5) winter over China.

Fig.2 The same as the Fig. 1 except for eastern China.

Fig.3 The same as the Fig. 1 except for western China.

Fig.4 The relative frequency of (a) SDII, (b) PRCPTOT, and (c) R1 derived from CPAP and TRMM 3B42-V7 over 1) China, 2) eastern China, and 3) western China.

Fig.5 The relative frequency of (a) CDD, and (b) CWD derived from CPAP and TRMM 3B42-V7 over 1) China, 2) eastern China, and 3) western China.

Fig.6 The monthly values of indices of (a) RX1day, (b) RX2day, and (c) RX5day over 1) China, 2) Eastern China, 3) Western China derived from CPAP and TRMM 3B42-V7.

Fig.7 The monthly values of indices of (a) RX1day, (b) RX2day, and (c) RX5day at a grid cell close to 1) Beijing, 2) Urumchi, 3) Shenyang, 4) Wuhan, 5) Chongqing, 6) Shanghai, and 7) Guangzhou derived from CPAP and TRMM 3B42-V7.

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