Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system
Abstract Raindrop impact derives from the kinetic energy of falling raindrops. Determining the kinetic energy of rainfall requires the size distribution and terminal velocity of raindrops, which necessitates complex instrumentation. To avoid this, empirical relations have been developed that relate...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Agricultural & Environmental Letters |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20042 |
| _version_ | 1818613489957076992 |
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| author | Kenneth M. Wacha Chi‐hua Huang Peter L. O'Brien Athanasios N. Papanicolaou Jerry L. Hatfield |
| author_facet | Kenneth M. Wacha Chi‐hua Huang Peter L. O'Brien Athanasios N. Papanicolaou Jerry L. Hatfield |
| author_sort | Kenneth M. Wacha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Raindrop impact derives from the kinetic energy of falling raindrops. Determining the kinetic energy of rainfall requires the size distribution and terminal velocity of raindrops, which necessitates complex instrumentation. To avoid this, empirical relations have been developed that relate rainfall intensity and the rate of kinetic energy, i.e., time‐specific kinetic energy (KEtime). In this study, a dynamic rain gauge system (DRGS) was used to quantify the KEtime generated by a rainfall simulator without need of measuring raindrop size distributions or impact velocities. In a series of 10 rainfall tests, the KEtime and rainfall intensity were 860.9 (±88.6) J m2 h−1 and 72.1 (±1.9) mm h−1, respectively. Estimated KEtime was found to agree well with the power‐law relation presented by Petrů and Kalibová for high‐intensity simulated rainfall, which are the conditions when higher deviations occur. The DRGS may be a useful tool in quantifying the KEtime of rainfall simulators in hopes to better understand raindrop impact mechanisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:02:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d5a6566fc414702ad82523d8d66a6db |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-9625 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:02:56Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agricultural & Environmental Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d5a6566fc414702ad82523d8d66a6db2022-12-21T22:25:26ZengWileyAgricultural & Environmental Letters2471-96252021-01-0161n/an/a10.1002/ael2.20042Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge systemKenneth M. Wacha0Chi‐hua Huang1Peter L. O'Brien2Athanasios N. Papanicolaou3Jerry L. Hatfield4USDA‐ARS, National Soil Erosion Research Lab West Lafayette IN 47907 USAUSDA‐ARS, National Soil Erosion Research Lab West Lafayette IN 47907 USAUSDA‐ARS, National Lab. for Agriculture and the Environment 1015 N. University Blvd. Ames IA 50011 USAHydraulics and Sediment Knoxville TN 37919 USAUSDA‐ARS, National Lab. for Agriculture and the Environment 1015 N. University Blvd. Ames IA 50011 USAAbstract Raindrop impact derives from the kinetic energy of falling raindrops. Determining the kinetic energy of rainfall requires the size distribution and terminal velocity of raindrops, which necessitates complex instrumentation. To avoid this, empirical relations have been developed that relate rainfall intensity and the rate of kinetic energy, i.e., time‐specific kinetic energy (KEtime). In this study, a dynamic rain gauge system (DRGS) was used to quantify the KEtime generated by a rainfall simulator without need of measuring raindrop size distributions or impact velocities. In a series of 10 rainfall tests, the KEtime and rainfall intensity were 860.9 (±88.6) J m2 h−1 and 72.1 (±1.9) mm h−1, respectively. Estimated KEtime was found to agree well with the power‐law relation presented by Petrů and Kalibová for high‐intensity simulated rainfall, which are the conditions when higher deviations occur. The DRGS may be a useful tool in quantifying the KEtime of rainfall simulators in hopes to better understand raindrop impact mechanisms.https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20042 |
| spellingShingle | Kenneth M. Wacha Chi‐hua Huang Peter L. O'Brien Athanasios N. Papanicolaou Jerry L. Hatfield Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system Agricultural & Environmental Letters |
| title | Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| title_full | Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| title_fullStr | Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| title_short | Quantifying the time‐specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| title_sort | quantifying the time specific kinetic energy of simulated rainfall using a dynamic rain gauge system |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20042 |
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