A great deal of expertise in satellite precipitation estimation has been developed during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) era (1998–2015). The quantification of errors associated with satellite precipitation products (SPPs) is crucial for a correct use of these datasets in hydrological applications, climate studies, and water resources management. This study presents a review of previous work that focused on validating SPPs for liquid precipitation during the TRMM era through comparisons with surface observations, both in terms of mean errors and detection capabilities across different regions of the world. Several SPPs have been considered: TMPA 3B42 (research and real-time products), CPC morphing technique (CMORPH), Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP; both the near-real-time and the Motion Vector Kalman filter products), PERSIANN, and PERSIANN–Cloud Classification System (PERSIANN-CCS). Topography, seasonality, and climatology were shown to play a role in the SPP’s p...

https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/JHM-D-15-0190.1

A Review of Merged High-Resolution Satellite Precipitation Product Accuracy during the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Era

Wave modelling in coastal and inner seas

This review provides a summary of the major research progress in the variability of East Asian, Indochina and Western North Pacific Summer Monsoon. Time scales of the reviewed phenomena range from diurnal to interannual and interdecadal. Research results published in the past decades are the major sources for this review.

East Asian, Indochina and Western North Pacific Summer Monsoon - An update

The rapid and widespread expansion of rubber plantations in Southeast Asia necessitates a greater understanding of tree physiology and the impacts of water consumption on local hydrology. Sap flow measurements were used to study the intra- and inter-annual variations in transpiration rate (Et) in a rubber stand in the low-elevation plain of central Cambodia. Mean stand sap flux density ( JS) indicates that rubber trees actively transpire in the rainy season, but become inactive in the dry season. A sharp, brief drop in JS occurred simultaneously with leaf shedding in the middle of the dry season in January. Although the annual maxima of JS were approximately the same in the two study years, the maximum daily stand Et of ~2.0 mm day −1 in 2010 increased to ~2.4 mm day −1 in 2011. Canopy-level stomatal response was well explained by changes in solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture availability, leaf area, and stem diameter. Rubber trees had a relatively small potential to transpire at the beginning of the study period, compared with average diffuse-porous species. After 2 years of growth in stem diameter, transpiration potential was comparable to other species. The sensitivity of canopy conductance (gc) to atmospheric drought indicates isohydric behavior of rubber trees. Modeling also predicted a relatively small sensitivity of gc to the soil moisture deficit and a rapid decrease in gc under extreme drought conditions. However, annual observations suggest the possibility of a change in leaf characteristics with tree maturity and/or initiation of latex tapping. The estimated annual stand Et was 469 mm year −1 in 2010, increasing to 658 m m y ear −1 in 2011. Diagnostic analysis using the derived gc model showed that inter-annual change in stand Et in the rapidly growing young rubber stand was determined mainly by tree growth rate, not by differences in air and soil variables in the surrounding environment. Future research should focus on the potentially broad applicability of the relationship between Et and tree size as well as environmental factors at stands different in terms of clonal type and age.

/pdf/transpiration-characteristics-of-a-rubber-plantation-in-37h2wuw7tx.pdf

Transpiration characteristics of a rubber plantation in central Cambodia

Thousands of lakes are located on the Tibetan Plateau. However, few studies examine the impacts of these lakes on local climate. To investigate lake effect precipitation over the plateau environment, we take Nam Co Lake as a case study, due to its large size and the availability of in situ observations. Using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, the impacts of Nam Co Lake on downwind precipitation events (i.e., the generation and causes) are studied quantitatively. First, we compare meteorological station observations downwind of the lake with observations from other nearby stations. In total, four stations are located around Nam Co Lake in different directions, and these stations accurately represent the spatial distribution of observed precipitation. The largest amount of precipitation is observed at Nam Co station (downwind) in October, and this precipitation amount is more than twice that observed at the other three stations. Second, simulations are carried out using the WRF model, and the results show that WRF model accurately captures the precipitation events that occurred at Nam Co station in October 2006. Finally, the WRF_lake and WRF_nolake simulations, which do and do not include the lake, respectively, are carried out using the WRF model. Nam Co Lake caused an increase in precipitation of up to 70% downwind of the lake on 24 October 2006. The simulation results also show that the lake caused an increase in precipitation of up to 60% over the lake's area and downwind of the lake in October of 2006.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2018JD028330

Observed and Simulated Lake Effect Precipitation Over the Tibetan Plateau: An Initial Study at Nam Co Lake

[1] Tonle Sap Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. During the postmonsoon season, a small linear cloud system has been observed over this lake in early morning, while the sky above the surrounding land is clear. Although this cloud system is apparently generated by land breezes, previous studies on land-lake (sea) circulation have suggested that environmental factors at low latitudes inhibit development of nocturnal land breezes. In this study, we investigate the mechanism of these early morning clouds through numerical simulation. The simulations show a linear updraft system over the lake, forming along the southwest lakeshore around 22:00 and moving northeast to the middle of the lake. The heavier air mass from the land meets the extraordinarily warm and humid air mass over the lake, triggering updrafts under the conditionally convective instability. The characteristic high surface water temperature was favorable for generation of the land breeze and updraft systems. That high surface water temperature of the lake is produced by the tropical climate along with efficient energy absorption because of the shallowness of the water body. This unique feature can generate a clear nocturnal land breeze circulation accompanying a migrating updraft system over the lake despite its low latitude.

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jgrd.50547

Land-lake breezes at low latitudes: The case of Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia

We analyze the hourly rainfall data of 30 rain gauges in Cambodia from 2010 to 2015 to focus on the diurnal pattern of rainfall and its regional characteristics, with the underlying mechanisms inferred from the observed data. The observed annual rainfall in inland Cambodia ranges from 1087 to 1528 mm on station-average. Approximately 5–20% of the annual rainfall occurs during the pre-monsoon season, 50–78% during the summer monsoon season, and 12–36% during the post-monsoon season. During the pre-monsoon season, rainfall is dominant on the coast and over the Cardamom Mountains, with a maximum in the afternoon. The rainfall amount is smaller around the Tonle Sap Lake. During the summer monsoon season, rainfall is larger in the northern region and smaller in the western region in inland Cambodia, in both amount and proportion to annual rainfall. The rainfall amount on the coast is distinctively large. The diurnal rainfall maximum occurs in the early afternoon in the Cardamom Mountains, in the afternoon on the plain at the southwestern side of the Tonle Sap Lake, in the evening on the wide area of the northeastern side of the lake, and in the early morning on the coast. The clear regional characteristics in the diurnal rainfall pattern suggest significant effects of local features, even during the Asian summer monsoon season. During the post-monsoon season, rainfall is larger on the southwestern side of the Tonle Sap Lake with dominant nocturnal rainfall. These diurnal patterns are, however, not clear on some days, and analysis of the synoptic-scale atmospheric condition suggests the effect of the large-scale low-pressure system and disturbances on the appearance of the clear diurnal rainfall pattern. The effect of land–lake and mountain–valley circulations on forming the diurnal rainfall pattern is also implied from ground-observed meteorological data, although further numerical studies are required to examine the detailed mechanisms. The study of local effects on rainfall with consideration of the land-surface dynamics may aid flood and drought management in Cambodia by facilitating a greater understanding of its rainfall pattern.

/pdf/diurnal-pattern-of-rainfall-in-cambodia-its-regional-235egjo9t6.pdf

Diurnal pattern of rainfall in Cambodia: its regional characteristics and local circulation

Solar radiation is an important input to many empirical equations for estimating evaporation, which in turn plays an important role in the hydrologic cycle in the Lower Mekong River Basin due to the high evaporation potential of the tropical monsoon climate. Few proper meteorological data exist for the Lower Mekong River Basin, however, and the region's meteorological conditions, including seasonal variation in radiation and evaporation, have not been clarified. In this study, ground-based hourly hydrometeorological data were collected at three observation stations located in different land-use types (urban district, paddy area, and lake) in the Lower Mekong River Basin. These data were analysed to investigate the seasonal variation in radiation and evaporation related to the diurnal distribution of rainfall. Contrary to common expectations, our results showed that rainy and dry seasons had nearly the same amount of solar radiation in the Lower Mekong River Basin because (1) rainy seasons had a relatively larger amount of extraterrestrial radiation; (2) no rain fell on nearly half of the days during rainy seasons; and (3) the amount of solar radiation on rainy days reached 88% of that on non-rainy days. The third factor was attributed to the high frequency of evening rainfall. Furthermore, this rainfall-radiation relationship meant that rainy seasons had a large amount of net radiation due to the low reduction ratio of solar radiation and an increase in long-wave incoming radiation. Accordingly, rainy seasons had a high evaporation potential. Moreover, for the rain-fed rice paddies that prevail in this region, sufficient radiation during the rainy season would be a great advantage for rice growing.

Seasonal changes in radiation and evaporation implied from the diurnal distribution of rainfall in the Lower Mekong

Rice terraces located on sloped hills in mountainous areas are sometimes abandoned because of lack of labor and difficulties associated with cultivation. Recently, rice terraces also have been re-evaluated from the perspectives of water conservation or flood control. As a consequence, restoration has been conducted in many locations. In this study, we conducted field research on rice terraces in Okayama in order to determine when rice terraces become stable as rice terraces. Soil samples were obtained from depths of 0, 10, and 30 cm in abandoned fields and rice terraces restored in 2015, 2016, and 2017. The results showed that total carbon was the highest in abandoned fields and gradually decreased in the 2017-restored fields, followed by that in the 2016-restored fields. Particle analysis, particularly of surface soil, showed that the sand fraction decreased in order of abandoned fields, 2017-restored fields, and 2016-restored fields. We established that recently restored rice terraces have similar properties to those located on mountain hills, including few fine particles and high organic matter content in the surface soils. If the surface soil was cultivated and mixed with deeper soils, then the clay and silt content would gradually increase with time. Cone penetrometer analysis revealed that there was no clear evidence of a hard pan in the abandoned field and the 2017-restored field. In contrast, a hard pan had begun to develop in the 2016-restored fields and that it had become well established in the 2015-restored fields. Collectively, our findings indicate that although all rice terraces have a superficially similar appearance, recently recovered fields tend to have properties comparable to the properties of those located on mountain hills. These properties gradually change in the 2–3 years following restoration with the subsequent development of a well-established hard pan. We conclude that even rice terraces that have been abandoned for more than 30 years can develop clear properties of rice terraces within 3 years after restoration.

Kumiko Tsujimoto

Papers

Land-lake breezes at low latitudes: The case of Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia

Diurnal pattern of rainfall in Cambodia: its regional characteristics and local circulation

Seasonal changes in radiation and evaporation implied from the diurnal distribution of rainfall in the Lower Mekong

When do rice terraces become rice terraces

Evaluation of cultivation environment and management based on LAI measurement in farmers’ paddy fields in Pursat province, Cambodia