Article Type:
Research Article

A Theoretical Evaluation of the Relevance of Lognormal Distributions for the Moisture Flux and Wind Components

William H. Raymond Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin

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Print Publication:
01 Nov 1997
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1997)125<3018:ATEOTR>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
3018–3023
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Abstract

In this study the individual components of the horizontal moist wind are derived and expressed as a function of the horizontal pressure gradients. The drag on the large-scale horizontal wind by mesoscale diabatic activity is shown to be consistent with homogeneous Lagrangian solutions that asymptotically approach a lognormal distribution. The kinematic moisture flux components are also shown to contain homogeneous solutions that behave asymptotically as a lognormal distribution. These findings are considered relevant to the large number of observed occurrences of the lognormal distribution in cloud and rainfall statistics.

Corresponding author address: Dr. William H. Raymond, CIMSS, University of Wisconsin, 1225 West Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706.

Abstract

In this study the individual components of the horizontal moist wind are derived and expressed as a function of the horizontal pressure gradients. The drag on the large-scale horizontal wind by mesoscale diabatic activity is shown to be consistent with homogeneous Lagrangian solutions that asymptotically approach a lognormal distribution. The kinematic moisture flux components are also shown to contain homogeneous solutions that behave asymptotically as a lognormal distribution. These findings are considered relevant to the large number of observed occurrences of the lognormal distribution in cloud and rainfall statistics.

Corresponding author address: Dr. William H. Raymond, CIMSS, University of Wisconsin, 1225 West Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706.

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