GRIP APR-2 Airborne Radar Data for Hurricane Genesis Study

Airborne precipitation radar data was collected during the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment to study tropical storm formation. The dataset originates from the APR-2 instrument, a dual-frequency, Doppler, dual-polarization radar system flown on a NASA DC-8 aircraft. Measurements were taken between August 17 and September 22, 2010, and are stored in HDF-4 format.

Use Cases

• Analyzing precipitation rate and structure within developing tropical storms using dual-frequency radar reflectivity.
• Studying storm dynamics and wind fields through Doppler velocity measurements.
• Investigating precipitation particle type and orientation using dual-polarization signals at 13.4 GHz and 35.6 GHz.
• Validating and calibrating satellite-based precipitation radar observations, such as from the GPM mission.
• Characterizing the spatial distribution of radar backscatter across storm systems from airborne cross-track scans.

Strengths

• Provides simultaneous dual-frequency (13.4 GHz and 35.6 GHz) and dual-polarization measurements, matching the capabilities of the GPM satellite radar.
• Data was collected during a dedicated NASA field campaign (GRIP) focused on hurricane genesis, ensuring targeted scientific relevance.
• Includes Doppler operation for velocity data and real-time pulse compression, enabling detailed in-flight analysis.

Limitations

• Specific column names, dataset size, and row counts are not provided by any source, limiting detailed technical assessment.
• Sources conflict on the 'last updated' metadata, with dates ranging from 2010-09-22 to 2026-03-13, creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• The license is ambiguously listed as 'other-license-specified' or 'None', requiring direct verification for reuse.

Provenance

Source

NASA's Global Hydrology Resource Center Distributed Active Archive Center (GHRC DAAC).

Collection Method

Collected by the Second Generation Airborne Precipitation Radar (APR-2) instrument mounted on a NASA DC-8 aircraft.

Time Range

Aug 17, 2010 - Sep 22, 2010

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:38:37.730785

Geography

Areas flown by the NASA DC-8 during the GRIP experiment, targeting tropical storm systems.