Phase space parametrization of rain: the inadequacy of the gamma distribution

Abstract

We show that the Gamma distribution is not an adequate fit for the probability density function of drop diameters using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness of fit test. We propose a different parametrization of drop size distributions, which not depending by any particular functional form, is based on the adoption of standardized central moments. The first three standardized central moments are sufficient to characterize the distribution of drop diamters at the ground. These parameters together with the drop count form a 4-tuple which fully describe the variability of the drop size distributions. The Cartesian product of this 4-tuple of parameters is the rainfall phase space. Using disdrometer data from 10 different locations we identify invariant, not depending on location, properties of the rainfall phenomenon.