NASA Micro Rain Radar Data for Cold-Season Precipitation Experiment

Radar measurements from the NASA Micro Rain Radar instrument collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in Canada. The dataset provides vertical profiles of Doppler velocity, drop size distribution, rainfall rate, liquid water content, and reflectivity to improve satellite snowfall retrieval algorithms. Data collection spanned from late October 2011 through March 2013, with a Version 2 update released in May 2015.

Use Cases

• Validating and improving GPM satellite snowfall retrieval algorithms using ground-based radar microphysical properties.
• Analyzing vertical profiles of Doppler velocity and reflectivity factor to study cold-season precipitation structure.
• Investigating drop size distribution and liquid water content for snowfall microphysics research.
• Comparing coordinated model simulations of precipitating snow with observed radar data.

Strengths

• Data collection spans over 16 months, from October 2011 to March 2013, providing coverage for multiple cold seasons.
• Dataset is Version 2, indicating a processed and updated release active since May 2015.
• Cross-platform presence on Data.gov and NASA EarthData signals importance and curation for the research community.

Limitations

• Specific row counts, file sizes, and column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' date, with reports of 2012, 2013, and 2026.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Collected by a vertically pointing, frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) Doppler radar (METEK MRR-2) operating at 24.24GHz.

Time Range

late October 2011 through March 2013

Freshness

2026-03-13 02:21:53.638627

Geography

Canada