GPM ER-2 X-band Radar Data for IPHEx Campaign

NASA's GPM Ground Validation ER-2 X-band Radar (EXRAD) IPHEx dataset contains airborne radar measurements from the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment field campaign. The data, collected from May 1 to June 15, 2014 over North Carolina, provides reflectivity and Doppler velocity to validate satellite precipitation estimates from the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. This dataset is stored in netCDF-3 format.

Use Cases

• Validating GPM satellite precipitation retrievals using airborne proxy radar reflectivity measurements.
• Improving quantitative precipitation estimation algorithms for X-band radar systems.
• Initializing and calibrating hydrological models for the southeastern United States with observed precipitation data.
• Studying the microphysical structure of precipitation systems via Doppler velocity profiles.

Strengths

• Data was collected during a focused 45-day intense observation period (May 1 – June 15, 2014).
• Measurements come from a calibrated, single-frequency X-band Doppler radar flown on a NASA ER-2 high-altitude aircraft.
• The dataset's cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData indicates recognized importance and curation.

Limitations

• Key technical specifications like row count, file size, and complete column list are unavailable from all sources.
• There is a conflict in the 'last updated' metadata, with one source listing 2014-06-12 and another listing 2026-03 13.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Airborne measurements collected by the EXRAD instrument onboard the NASA ER-2 aircraft during the IPHEx field campaign.

Time Range

2014-05-01 to 2014-06-15

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:24:40.185319

Geography

North Carolina, USA