Análisis de la influencia de las propiedades microfísicas de la lluvia en el índice de erosividad para eventos de precipitación en la ciudad de Cuenca

Abstract

Rainfall erosivity is one of the main factors used to predict soil erosion. This factor depends on the microphysical properties of the rainfall, i.e. the diameter and the velocity of the raindrops. Nowadays, in our study site (city of Cuenca) there is a lack of information about the parameters that affect soil degradation processes and the type of rainfall that causes the greatest hydric erosion in its soils. Hence, our aim is to analyze the influence of the rainfall microphysical properties in the erosivity index. Our data corresponds to the period February 2017 - February 2018, measured with a Thies laser disdrometer and a Micro Rain Radar, both located at University of Cuenca's Balzay campus. Within this time period, five erosive events were found, for which the erosivity index (EI) was determined. The results showed that the microphysical properties of the rainfall have a direct influence in the EI index. Furthermore, raindrops with larger diameter and faster velocity had the greatest impact in the EI index. Finally, the analysis of the vertical profile showed that the behavior of the microphysical properties of the rainfall is different in each erosion event.