Wyoming Cloud Radar Aircraft Data for Light Precipitation Validation

GPM Ground Validation Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) LPVEx V2 contains airborne radar reflectivity and Doppler velocity measurements alongside aircraft navigation data. The dataset was collected by the University of Wyoming King Air aircraft during the Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) around the Gulf of Finland. Data files in netCDF-3 format cover flights from September 16 through October 20, 2010.

Use Cases

• Validating satellite precipitation retrieval algorithms using airborne radar reflectivity measurements.
• Studying the microphysical processes of light rainfall formation using Doppler velocity data.
• Analyzing cloud structure and dynamics by correlating radar data with aircraft navigation parameters like altitude and location.
• Calibrating ground-based or spaceborne radar systems with high-resolution airborne observations.

Strengths

• Data includes high-resolution, in-situ measurements from an aircraft-mounted radar, providing detailed vertical profiles.
• Covers a focused 35-day campaign (September 16 to October 20, 2010) for a specific scientific experiment (LPVEx).
• Includes browse imagery (PDF/PNG) for quick data visualization and assessment.

Limitations

• Specific column names and the total row or file count are not provided by any source, limiting detailed assessment of structure.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date (2010-10-20 vs. 2026-03-13), creating uncertainty about post-processing.
• The exact license terms are unclear, only described as 'other-license-specified'.

Provenance

Source

GHRC_DAAC (Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center).

Collection Method

Collected by the Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) instrument flown on the University of Wyoming King Air aircraft.

Time Range

September 16, 2010 to October 20, 2010

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:58:28.338604

Geography

Gulf of Finland region.