Satellite Radiometer Precipitation Profiles with Climate-Reference Ancillary Data

Version 07 provides climate-reference precipitation profiles from the NOAA-19 satellite's MHS radiometer, using ECMWF-Interim reanalysis for homogeneous ancillary data over the climate time series. The GPROF algorithm retrieves mean rain rate, vertical cloud structure, and precipitation hydrometeor profiles using a Bayesian method with a consistent a-priori database across multiple passive microwave sensors. This dataset is produced by the GES DISC organization as part of the GPM mission.

Use Cases

• Analyzing precipitation vertical structure using retrieved hydrometeor profiles.
• Studying long-term climate trends in rain rates with climate-reference ancillary data.
• Comparing brightness temperature (Tb) observations with simulated Tb from the algorithm's a-priori database.
• Validating Bayesian retrieval methods for passive microwave sensors across the GPM constellation.

Strengths

• Climate-Reference product designed for homogeneous data records over a time series.
• Algorithm uses a consistent a-priori database enabling parametric retrievals across multiple satellite sensors.
• Provides uncertainty estimates for retrieved precipitation fields.

Limitations

• Specific row count, spatial resolution, and temporal coverage details are unknown.
• Ancillary data for the climate product uses ECMWF-Interim reanalysis with a 2-3 month lag behind regular production.
• Older data versions are superseded and no longer available.

Provenance

Source

GES DISC, NASA.

Collection Method

Data retrieved by the GPROF algorithm from the MHS radiometer on the NOAA-19 satellite, using a Bayesian method with an a-priori database of rain profiles.

Time Range

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Freshness

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Geography

Global coverage from satellite observations.