GPM GPROF: Climate-based Satellite Precipitation Profiles from METOP-C

Version 07 is the current climate-referenced precipitation data product from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. The dataset is produced by NASA using a Bayesian algorithm to retrieve precipitation profiles from the MHS radiometer on the METOP-C satellite, with ancillary data from ECMWF reanalysis for climate consistency. It provides a large sampling of global precipitation, contributing to the mission's 3-hour coverage.

Use Cases

• Climate trend analysis based on the use of homogeneous ECMWF reanalysis ancillary data for consistent long-term records
• Precipitation profile retrieval based on the Bayesian algorithm using simulated and observed brightness temperatures
• Inter-sensor comparison of precipitation data based on the use of the same a-priori database across the GPM constellation
• Uncertainty quantification in precipitation estimates based on the algorithm's provision of mean rain rate and hydrometeor structure with uncertainty

Strengths

• Current version (V07) supersedes all older versions, ensuring users access the latest processing.
• Designed as a Climate-Reference product using homogeneous ECMWF-Interim reanalysis ancillary data for consistent time series.
• Provides large spatial and temporal sampling, contributing to GPM's 3-hour global coverage.

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 for large-scale projects.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Retrieved via the GPROF (Level 2) Bayesian algorithm from passive microwave sensor data on the METOP-C satellite.

Time Range

Climate time series; specific start and end dates are not provided in the input.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 01:58:05.252758; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage, inferred from satellite-based data collection.