TRMM_3H31: Monthly Convective Stratiform Heating Profiles

TRMM_3H31 produces monthly apparent heating profiles at a 0.5-degree spatial resolution from surface convective and stratiform rainfall rates. The dataset is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Wei-Kuo Tao and is hosted by NASA's GES DISC. Each data granule represents a one-month period.

Use Cases

• Validating convective parameterization in climate models based on apparent heating profiles.
• Analyzing the spatial distribution of convective versus stratiform rainfall contributions.
• Studying the monthly variability of latent heating in tropical regions.
• Investigating the relationship between surface rainfall rates and atmospheric heating.

Strengths

• Provides a specific, derived geophysical variable (apparent heating profiles) from satellite measurements.
• Features a consistent 0.5-degree by 0.5-degree spatial grid for global analysis.
• Hosted by NASA's authoritative GES DISC, indicating institutional credibility.

Limitations

• Metadata completeness is low; column names and exact data structure are unspecified.
• Conflicting last-updated dates exist between platforms (2015 vs. 2026), casting doubt on data freshness.
• The 'other-license-specified' license requires clarification for clear usage rights.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), TRMM mission.

Collection Method

Derived from combined TRMM TMI and PR sensor data to calculate surface convective and stratiform rainfall rates.

Time Range

Monthly granules; specific start and end dates are not provided.

Freshness

Last updated dates conflict: 2015-03-31 on NASA Earthdata and 2026-04-09 on Data.gov.

Geography

Global coverage at 0.5-degree x 0.5-degree resolution.