Identification and Quantification of Uncertainties Related to Using Distributed X-band Radar Estimated Precipitation as input in Urban Drainage Models
Publication: Research › Ph.d. thesis – Annual report year: 2009
The Local Area Weather Radar (LAWR) is a small scale weather radar providing
distributed measurements of rainfall primarily for use as input in hydrological
applications. As any other weather radar the LAWR measurement of the rainfall is an
indirect measurement since it does not measure the rainfall, but the energy reflected
from the raindrops in the atmosphere. As result a calibration from reflectivity to
rainfall intensities is required.
This thesis focuses on identifying and estimating uncertainties related to LAWR
rainfall estimates. In this connection the calibration procedure is a key element. A
LAWR is normally calibrated against a single rain gauge, which is the normal
procedure used to calibrate weather radars. Based on a large set of rain gauge data
collected during this project, the uncertainties related to assuming a single gauge
representative for a whole LAWR pixel are quantified using statistical methods.
Furthermore, the present calibration method is reviewed and a new extended
calibration method has been developed and tested resulting in improved rainfall
estimates. As part of the calibration analysis a number of elements affecting the
LAWR performance were identified and possible improvements suggested.
The LAWR is designed to provide rainfall data, especially for urban drainage
applications, and as part of the thesis the integration of LAWR data into the DHI
software application MIKE URBAN has been analyzed. The work has resulted in
identification of scaling issues in connection with boundary assignment besides
general improved understanding of the benefits and pitfalls in using distributed
rainfall data as input to models. In connection with the use of LAWR data in urban
drainage context, the potential for using LAWR data for extreme rainfall statistics has
been studied revealing interesting new spatial characteristics of extreme rainfall
events not earlier observed.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication date | Aug 2009 |
| Place of publication | Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark |
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| Publisher | Technical University of Denmark (DTU) |
| ISBN (print) | 978-87-643-0534-0 |
| State | Published |
| Name | The PhD is an Industrial PhD and the work has been conducted in a cooperation between DHI Weather Radar Systems, (Chief Engineer, Niels Einar Jensen), and DTU Informatics, the Technical University of Denmark. |
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