The Relationship between N0 and Λ for Marshall-Palmer Type Raindrop-Size Distributions

Abstract

For raindrop-size distributions of the form ND = N0e??D, where ND is the number of drops of diameter D per unit volume per unit increment in drop diameter, the parameters N0 and ? cannot be specified independently as functions of rainfall rate R. A universal relationship exists between ? and R/N0 for such distributions as established by Ulbrich and Atlas. The relationship is further examined and expanded in this paper. The results are presented graphically and the self-consistency of empirically derived drop-size distributions examined.