Heavy and extreme precipitation in the Carolinas : comparisons between TRMM and gauge data 1998-2006 / by Sol Xenos Wuensch.
| Author/creator | Wuensch, Sol Xenos author. |
| Other author | Curtis, Scott, degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Geography. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 2008. |
| Description | 76 leaves : illustrations (some color), maps (some color) ; 29 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | Heavy and extreme precipitation events are responsible for flooding which causes significant economic and social consequences, such as: property damage, crop damage, personal injury and fatality. However, during times of drought areas actually depend on these events for both agricultural and municipal purposes. Heavy and extreme precipitation events exhibit many social and economic impacts. This study analyzes daily heavy and extreme precipitation events in North Carolina and South Carolina using both gauge measurements and satellite estimates. The satellite data used is from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), and more specifically the algorithm used is called the TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA). Although TRMM data shows promise for high resolution precipitation analysis it has been tested by relatively few scientists. Two percentile thresholds are used to define heavy and extreme precipitation events. The seasonality of heavy and extreme events is analyzed for three distinct elevation regions across the study area. Next, a manual synoptic classification of all heavy and extreme events is carried out using archived daily weather maps, archived radar loops, and storm reports. Finally, results from these three analyses are compared between rain gauge data and TRMM satellite data in each of the elevation regions in the Carolinas. Results indicate that TRMM data attributes more heavy and extreme precipitation events to wintertime cold fronts and mid-latitude cyclones, whereas the gauge data attributes more events to all other synoptic categories that occur in the summer and fall. These differences are more pronounced for extreme precipitation events, but also occur for heavy precipitation events as well. Differences between TRMM and gauge heavy and extreme percentile thresholds are largest in the mountains. It is suspected that since gauges represent a point in space they are more capable of showing differences of precipitation patterns in complex terrain, while the coarser resolution of the TRMM is not as adequate for mountainous areas where precipitation can vary greatly. |
| General note | Presented to the faculty of the Department of Geography. |
| General note | Advisor: Scott Curtis |
| Dissertation note | M.A. East Carolina University 2008 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-76). |
| Genre/form | dissertations. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | University Archives | ASK AT SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DESK | ✔ Available | Request Material |
| Electronic Resources | Access Content Online | ✔ Available |