Multifractal Analysis of Rainfall-Rate Datasets Obtained by Radar and Numerical Model The Case Study of Typhoon Bolaven (2012)

• Published in: Journal of applied meteorology and climatology Vol. 59; no. 5; pp. 819 - 840
• Main Authors: Lee, J., Paz, I., Schertzer, D., Lee, D. I., Tchiguirinskaia, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston American Meteorological Society 01.05.2020
• Subjects: Case studies; Clouds; Computer simulation; Datasets; Fractal analysis; High altitude; Hurricanes; Hydrologic data; Mathematical models; Numerical models; Radar; Radar data; Radar rainfall; Rain; Rainfall; Rainfall data; Rainfall rate; Scaling; Simulation; Simulators; Singularities; Spacetime; Storms; Typhoons; Japan; Cheju Island; Korean Peninsula
• ISSN: 1558-8424; 1558-8432
• DOI: 10.1175/jamc-d-18-0209.1

Typhoon Bolaven caused significant damage with severe rainfall all over South Korea, including Cheju Island, which received more than 250 mm in 2 days in August 2012. It was regarded as the most powerful storm to strike the Korean Peninsula in nearly a decade. The rainfall-rate datasets were obtained from S-band radar operated by the Korea Meteorological Administration to be analyzed and compared with the mesoscale Cloud Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS) model simulation. Multifractal analysis was conducted to understand the structure of the rainfall rate with height in the typhoon system. The radar rainfall data presented with strong intermittency across scales at lower altitudes (1 and 2 km) and a more homogeneous rainfall field at high altitude (5 km) with two parameters (fractal codimension and multifractality index). The statistical scaling moment function and maximal singularities show clear significant differences between radar and the CReSS model.