Structure of tropical clouds and precipitation as inferred from TRMM data

The structure, cloud type and rainfall statistics are investigated using TRMM visible, infrared, microwave radiometer data and precipitation radar data. One of the questions intended to answer in this analysis is whether there is a typical vertical distribution of precipitating hydrometeors given a certain type of cloud, e.g., deep convective cloud, deep stratiform clouds, shallow convections, etc. To answer this question, we use VIS/IR and microwave data to determine cloud types, and then use precipitation radar to survey the vertical distributions of hydrometeors. This analysis is done for several different regions (e.g., west Pacific, east Pacific, Indian Ocean) to determine the regional dependence, if any. Another focus of the study is the partitioning of rain and cloud amount among different cloud types. This is done by using a cloud classification scheme to analyze a year-long TRMM data.