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journal article Open Access Sep 01, 2015

The variable nature of convection in the tropics and subtropics: A legacy of 16 years of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite

Robert A. Houze Kristen L. Rasmussen ORCID Manuel D. Zuluaga Stella R. Brodzik
Reviews of Geophysics Vol. 53 No. 3 pp. 994-1021 · American Geophysical Union (AGU)
View at Publisher Save 10.1002/2015rg000488
Abstract
AbstractFor over 16 years, the Precipitation Radar of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite detected the three‐dimensional structure of significantly precipitating clouds in the tropics and subtropics. This paper reviews and synthesizes studies using the TRMM radar data to present a global picture of the variation of convection throughout low latitudes. The multiyear data set shows convection varying not only in amount but also in its very nature across the oceans, continents, islands, and mountain ranges of the tropics and subtropics. Shallow isolated raining clouds are overwhelmingly an oceanic phenomenon. Extremely deep and intense convective elements occur almost exclusively over land. Upscale growth of convection into mesoscale systems takes a variety of forms. Oceanic cloud systems generally have less intense embedded convection but can form very wide stratiform regions. Continental mesoscale systems often have more intense embedded convection. Some of the most intense convective cells and mesoscale systems occur near the great mountain ranges of low latitudes. The Maritime Continent and Amazonia exhibit convective clouds with maritime characteristics although they are partially or wholly land. Convective systems containing broad stratiform areas manifest most strongly over oceans. The stratiform precipitation occurs in various forms. Often it occurs as quasi‐uniform precipitation with strong melting layers connected with intense convection. In monsoons and the Intertropical Convergence Zone, it takes the form of closely packed weak convective elements. Where fronts extend into the subtropics, broad stratiform regions are larger and have lower and sloping melting layers related to the baroclinic origin of the precipitation.
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299
Citations
111
References
Details
Published
Sep 01, 2015
Vol/Issue
53(3)
Pages
994-1021
License
View
Authors
R
Robert A. Houze

Department of Atmospheric Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA

K
Kristen L. Rasmussen

Now at National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder Colorado USA

M
Manuel D. Zuluaga

Now at Universidad Nacional de Colombia Medellín Colombia

S
Stella R. Brodzik

Department of Atmospheric Sciences University of Washington Seattle Washington USA

Funding
NASA Award: NNX13AG71G
Cite This Article
Robert A. Houze, Kristen L. Rasmussen, Manuel D. Zuluaga, et al. (2015). The variable nature of convection in the tropics and subtropics: A legacy of 16 years of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite. Reviews of Geophysics, 53(3), 994-1021. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015rg000488
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