GPM PRPS: Satellite-Based Monthly Precipitation Profiles at 0.25-Degree Resolution

Version 6 is the current and only available version of this NASA precipitation dataset. The Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme (PRPS) provides a best estimate of precipitation based on matched SAPHIR-DPR satellite observations, acting as a calibrator for a constellation of passive microwave instruments. It generates instantaneous precipitation estimates at a constant 0.25 x 0.25-degree resolution, independent of dynamic model data, which is advantageous for near real-time to climatological scale analysis.

Use Cases

• Calibrating passive microwave precipitation retrievals based on the matched SAPHIR-DPR observations described.
• Analyzing precipitation error and quality assessments based on the provided error and fit metrics.
• Studying climatological precipitation trends based on the model-independent retrieval scheme.
• Generating near real-time precipitation products based on the algorithm's independence from dynamic model data.

Strengths

• Provides a best estimate of precipitation based on matched observations from the GPM core observatory.
• Algorithm is independent of dynamic model data, avoiding model-inherent trends for climatological studies.
• Generates data at a constant 0.25 x 0.25-degree spatial resolution for all scan positions.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Limitations of the DPR instrument are transferred through the retrieval scheme to the resulting products.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Satellite radiance data from the GPM SAPHIR and DPR instruments processed via the Precipitation Retrieval and Profiling Scheme (PRPS).

Time Range

Monthly aggregation (L3 1 month).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 02:16:17.405268; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage at 0.25 x 0.25-degree resolution.