GPM Radiometer Precipitation Profiles from Suomi-NPP Satellite

Version 07 is the current version of this satellite-derived precipitation dataset, superseding older versions. The Goddard Profiling (2AGPROF) algorithm retrieves precipitation and related fields from multiple passive microwave sensors, including the ATMS on the Suomi-NPP satellite, to provide bulk 3-hour global coverage. The data is produced by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and was last updated in March 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyzing global precipitation distribution and intensity based on retrieved rain rates.
• Studying vertical cloud and precipitation structure based on the described hydrometeor profiles.
• Comparing precipitation retrievals across different satellite sensors mentioned in the constellation.
• Assessing precipitation uncertainty based on the Bayesian algorithm's described uncertainty outputs.

Strengths

• Provides large spatial and temporal sampling, as described as a main strength of the product.
• Uses a consistent, parametric Bayesian algorithm across a constellation of sensors for uniform retrievals.
• Offers multiple product types (near-realtime, standard, climate) with different ancillary data for various use cases.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Retrieved via the Goddard Profiling (2AGPROF) algorithm from passive microwave radiometer data on the Suomi-NPP satellite and other partner sensors.

Time Range

Provides near-realtime (within 3 hours), standard (within 48 hours), and climate (within 3 months) products.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:07:58.006415; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Likely global coverage, as implied by the constellation approach and 3-hour coverage goal.