Bekker, Andriette, 1958-Otto, A.F.Punzo, A.Tomarchio, S.D.Ferreira, Johannes Theodorus2025-08-012025-08-012025-09Bekker, A., Otto, A.F., Punzo, A. et al. Discrete mode-mixtures of unimodal positive distributions with an application to solar energy in South Africa. Afrika Matematika 36, 115 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13370-025-01329-2.1012-9405 (print)2190-7668 (online)10.1007/s13370-025-01329-2http://hdl.handle.net/2263/103749Comprehensive earth science studies consistently yield complex datasets seldom adequately represented by straightforward parametric distributions. In this paper, we introduce a discrete mode-mixture (DMM) model, motivated by the formulation of the mean mixture paradigm via the compounding method. Here, unimodal positive support mode-parameterized beta and gamma distributions represent the basic component, but with the superposition of a discrete random component on the mode. The probability density functions of the DMM models are derived in closed-form expressions, and specific characteristics are investigated. This alternative viewing of a mixture on the mode paves the way for alternative models and provides natural leverage on separation in data. With an emphasis on a solar dataset and a benchmark dataset, the performance of the proposed models is compared with that of well-known models.en© The Author(s) 2025, corrected publication 2025. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Discrete mode-mixture (DMM)BetaCompoundGammaNegative binomialPoissonSAURAN datasetArticle