GRIP HIRAD V1: Hurricane Brightness Temperature and Wind Data

NASA's GRIP Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) V1 dataset provides passive microwave radiometer measurements from aircraft during the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes experiment. It includes brightness temperature readings at 4, 5, 6, and 6.6 GHz, supplemented by MERRA 2-meter wind speed and JPL MUR sea surface temperature data, collected from September 1 to 16, 2010, focusing on storms Earl and Karl. The data were gathered using NASA's DC-8, WB-57, and Global Hawk aircraft equipped with remote sensing instruments to study hurricane formation and intensification.

Use Cases

• Analyzing the relationship between C-band brightness temperature signatures and hurricane wind field structure.
• Studying sea surface temperature conditions from JPL MUR data concurrent with hurricane overpasses for rapid intensification research.
• Validating and improving hurricane wind retrieval algorithms using the cross-track and along-track resolution passive microwave measurements.
• Investigating the capability of a single-polarization C-band radiometer to measure ocean surface winds through heavy rain.
• Comparing in-situ and remotely sensed data from the DC-8, WB-57, and Global Hawk platforms during coordinated hurricane observation campaigns.

Strengths

• Data was collected during a dedicated NASA field campaign (GRIP) using multiple aircraft platforms, ensuring coordinated observations.
• Provides multi-frequency brightness temperature measurements (4, 5, 6, 6.6 GHz) for detailed microwave analysis of storm features.
• Covers a specific, intense observation period from September 1-16, 2010, capturing two named storms (Earl and Karl).

Limitations

• Conflicting 'last updated' dates exist between sources (2010-09-16 and 2026-03-13), creating uncertainty about data versioning or maintenance.
• Specific row counts, file sizes, and a complete list of data columns are not provided on any platform.
• The dataset's temporal coverage is limited to a single two-week campaign in 2010, restricting long-term or climatological studies.

Provenance

Source

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

Collection Method

Collected via airborne remote sensing using the Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) instrument on NASA's DC-8, WB-57, and Global Hawk aircraft during the GRIP experiment.

Time Range

September 1, 2010 through September 16, 2010.

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:47:07.227773

Geography

Flight paths over the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico covering hurricanes Earl and Karl.