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Remote Sensing of Precipitation

A special issue of Remote Sensing (ISSN 2072-4292). This special issue belongs to the section "Atmospheric Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2018) | Viewed by 187344

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Special Issue Editor

1. Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
2. ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, Limassol 3036, Cyprus
Interests: atmospheric energetics; development of mathematical methods for weather prediction and their verification; diagnostic investigation of Mediterranean depressions with emphasis on the quantification of various characteristics; applications of artificial neural networks in meteorological and climatological issues; desert dust transportation; applications of weather radar in the estimation of precipitation; applications of satellite meteorology and remote sensing; precipitation, drought, floods and methods for their prediction and mitigation planning; atmospheric and climatic models
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Precipitation is a well-recognized pillar in global water and energy balances. An accurate and timely understanding of its characteristics at the global, regional, and local scales is indispensable for a clearer understanding of the mechanisms underlying the Earth’s atmosphere–ocean complex system. Precipitation is one of the elements that is documented to be greatly affected by climate change.

In its various forms, precipitation comprises a primary source of freshwater, which is vital for the sustainability of almost all human activities. Its socio-economic significance is fundamental in managing this natural resource effectively, in applications ranging from irrigation to industrial and household usage.

Remote sensing of precipitation is pursued through a broad spectrum of continuously enriched and upgraded instrumentation, embracing sensors which can be ground-based (e.g., weather radars), satellite-borne (e.g., passive or active space-borne sensors), underwater (e.g., hydrophones), aerial, or ship-borne.

This Special Issue will host papers on all aspects of remote sensing of precipitation, including applications that embrace the use of remote-sensing techniques of precipitation in tackling issues, such as precipitation estimations and retrievals along with their methodologies and corresponding error assessment, precipitation modelling including validation, instrument comparison and calibration, understanding of cloud microphysical properties, precipitation downscaling, precipitation droplet size distribution, assimilation of remotely sensed precipitation into numerical weather prediction models, measurement of precipitable water vapor, etc. Additionally, papers on new technological advances as well as campaigns and missions on precipitation remote sensing (e.g., TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement) ) are welcome.

Related References

  1. Michaelides, S.; Levizzani, V.; Anagnostou, E.; Bauer, P.; Kasparis, T.; Lane, J.E. Precipitation: Measurement, remote sensing, climatology and modeling. Atmos. Res. 2009, 94, 512–533.
  2. Gabella, M.; Morin, E.; Notarpietro, R.; Michaelides S. Precipitation field in the Southeastern Mediterranean area as seen by the Ku-band spaceborne weather radar and two C-band ground-based radars. Atmos. Res. 2013, 119, 120–130.
  3. Katsanos, D.; Retalis, A.; Tymvios, F.; Michaelides, S. Analysis of precipitation extremes based on satellite (CHIRPS) and in situ dataset over Cyprus. Natural Hazard. 2016, doi:10.1007/s11069-016-2335-8.
  4. Lane, J.; Kasparis, T.; Michaelides, S.; Metzger, P. A phenomenological relationship between vertical air motion and disdrometer derived A-b coefficients. Atmos. Res. 2017, doi:10.1016/j.atmosres.2017.07.011.
  5. Retalis, A.; Tymvios, T.; Katsanos D.; Michaelides S. Downscaling CHIRPS precipitation data: An artificial neural network modelling approach. J. Remote Sens. 2017, doi:10.1080/01431161.2017.1312031.
Dr. Silas Michaelides
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Precipitation
  • Weather radar
  • Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE)
  • Underwater precipitation remote sensing
  • Cloud microphysical properties
  • TRMM and GPM

Published Papers (40 papers)

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Editorial

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11 pages, 210 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial for Special Issue “Remote Sensing of Precipitation”
by Silas Michaelides
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(4), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11040389 - 14 Feb 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3008
Abstract
This Special Issue hosts papers on all aspects of remote sensing of precipitation, including applications that embrace the use of remote-sensing techniques of precipitation in tackling issues, such as precipitation estimations and retrievals, along with their methodologies and corresponding error assessment; precipitation modelling [...] Read more.
This Special Issue hosts papers on all aspects of remote sensing of precipitation, including applications that embrace the use of remote-sensing techniques of precipitation in tackling issues, such as precipitation estimations and retrievals, along with their methodologies and corresponding error assessment; precipitation modelling including validation, instrument comparison, and calibration; understanding of cloud and precipitation microphysical properties; precipitation downscaling; precipitation droplet size distribution; assimilation of remotely sensed precipitation into numerical weather prediction models; and measurement of precipitable water vapor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Other

16 pages, 3573 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Level-3 Gridded Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Products Over Oceans
by Sana Khan and Viviana Maggioni
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(3), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11030255 - 27 Jan 2019
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 3976
Abstract
The performance of Level-3 gridded Global Precipitation Mission (GPM)-based precipitation products (IMERG, Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM) is assessed against two references over oceans: the OceanRAIN dataset, derived from oceanic shipboard disdrometers, and a satellite-based radar product (the Level-3 Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar, 3DPRD). [...] Read more.
The performance of Level-3 gridded Global Precipitation Mission (GPM)-based precipitation products (IMERG, Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM) is assessed against two references over oceans: the OceanRAIN dataset, derived from oceanic shipboard disdrometers, and a satellite-based radar product (the Level-3 Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar, 3DPRD). Daily IMERG products (early, late, final) and microwave-only (MW) and Infrared-only (IR) precipitation components are evaluated at four different spatial resolutions (0.5°, 1°, 2°, and 3°) during a 3-year study period (March 2014–February 2017). Their performance is assessed based on both categorical and continuous performance metrics, including correlation coefficient, probability of detection, success ratio, bias, and root mean square error (RMSE). A triple collocation analysis (TCA) is also presented to further investigate the performance of these satellite-based products. Overall, the IMERG products show an underestimation with respect to OceanRAIN. Rain events in OceanRAIN are correctly detected by all IMERG products ~80% of the times. IR estimates show relatively large errors and low correlations with OceanRAIN compared to the other products. On the other hand, the MW component performs better than other products in terms of both categorical and continuous statistics. TCA reveals that 3DPRD performs consistently better than OceanRAIN in terms of RMSE and coefficient of determination at all spatial resolutions. This work is part of a larger effort to validate GPM products over nontraditional regions such as oceans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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22 pages, 8406 KiB  
Article
How Well Can IMERG Products Capture Typhoon Extreme Precipitation Events over Southern China?
by Chaoying Huang, Junjun Hu, Sheng Chen, Asi Zhang, Zhenqing Liang, Xinhua Tong, Liusi Xiao, Chao Min and Zengxin Zhang
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(1), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11010070 - 02 Jan 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 4504
Abstract
This study assesses the performance of the latest version 05B (V5B) Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) (IMERG) Early and Final Runs over southern China during six extremely heavy precipitation events brought by six powerful typhoons from 2016 to 2017. Observations [...] Read more.
This study assesses the performance of the latest version 05B (V5B) Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) (IMERG) Early and Final Runs over southern China during six extremely heavy precipitation events brought by six powerful typhoons from 2016 to 2017. Observations from a dense network composed of 2449 rain gauges are used as reference to quantify the performance in terms of spatiotemporal variability, probability distribution of precipitation rates, contingency scores, and bias analysis. The results show that: (1) both IMERG with gauge calibration (IMERG_Cal) and without gauge correction (IMERG_Uncal) generally capture the spatial patterns of storm-accumulated precipitation with moderate to high correlation coefficients (CCs) of 0.57–0.87, and relative bias (RB) varying from −17.21% to 30.58%; (2) IMERG_Uncal and IMERG_Cal capture well the area-average hourly series of precipitation over rainfall centers with high CCs ranging from 0.78 to 0.94; (3) IMERG_Cal tends to underestimate precipitation especially the rainfall over the rainfall centers when compared to IMERG_Uncal. The IMERG Final Run shows promising potentials in typhoon-related extreme precipitation storm applications. This study is expected to give useful feedbacks about the latest V5B Final Run IMERG product to both algorithm developers and the scientific end users, providing a better understanding of how well the V5B IMERG products capture the typhoon extreme precipitation events over southern China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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31 pages, 16313 KiB  
Article
A Multi-Platform Hydrometeorological Analysis of the Flash Flood Event of 15 November 2017 in Attica, Greece
by George Varlas, Marios N. Anagnostou, Christos Spyrou, Anastasios Papadopoulos, John Kalogiros, Angeliki Mentzafou, Silas Michaelides, Evangelos Baltas, Efthimios Karymbalis and Petros Katsafados
Remote Sens. 2019, 11(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11010045 - 28 Dec 2018
Cited by 57 | Viewed by 7334
Abstract
Urban areas often experience high precipitation rates and heights associated with flash flood events. Atmospheric and hydrological models in combination with remote-sensing and surface observations are used to analyze these phenomena. This study aims to conduct a hydrometeorological analysis of a flash flood [...] Read more.
Urban areas often experience high precipitation rates and heights associated with flash flood events. Atmospheric and hydrological models in combination with remote-sensing and surface observations are used to analyze these phenomena. This study aims to conduct a hydrometeorological analysis of a flash flood event that took place in the sub-urban area of Mandra, western Attica, Greece, using remote-sensing observations and the Chemical Hydrological Atmospheric Ocean Wave System (CHAOS) modeling system that includes the Advanced Weather Research Forecasting (WRF-ARW) model and the hydrological model (WRF-Hydro). The flash flood was caused by a severe storm during the morning of 15 November 2017 around Mandra area resulting in extensive damages and 24 fatalities. The X-band dual-polarization (XPOL) weather radar of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) observed precipitation rates reaching 140 mm/h in the core of the storm. CHAOS simulation unveils the persistent orographic convergence of humid southeasterly airflow over Pateras mountain as the dominant parameter for the evolution of the storm. WRF-Hydro simulated the flood using three different precipitation estimations as forcing data, obtained from the CHAOS simulation (CHAOS-hydro), the XPOL weather radar (XPOL-hydro) and the Global Precipitation Measurement (GMP)/Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) satellite dataset (GPM/IMERG-hydro). The findings indicate that GPM/IMERG-hydro underestimated the flood magnitude. On the other hand, XPOL-hydro simulation resulted to discharge about 115 m3/s and water level exceeding 3 m in Soures and Agia Aikaterini streams, which finally inundated. CHAOS-hydro estimated approximately the half water level and even lower discharge compared to XPOL-hydro simulation. Comparing site-detailed post-surveys of flood extent, XPOL-hydro is characterized by overestimation while CHAOS-hydro and GPM/IMERG-hydro present underestimation. However, CHAOS-hydro shows enough skill to simulate the flooded areas despite the forecast inaccuracies of numerical weather prediction. Overall, the simulation results demonstrate the potential benefit of using high-resolution observations from a X-band dual-polarization radar as an additional forcing component in model precipitation simulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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30 pages, 9726 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Three-Hourly TMPA Rainfall Products Using Telemetric Rain Gauge Observations at Lai Nullah Basin in Islamabad, Pakistan
by Asid Ur Rehman, Farrukh Chishtie, Waqas A. Qazi, Sajid Ghuffar, Imran Shahid and Khunsa Fatima
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(12), 2040; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10122040 - 14 Dec 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4970
Abstract
Flash floods which occur due to heavy rainfall in hilly and semi-hilly areas may prove deleterious when they hit urban centers. The prediction of such localized and heterogeneous phenomena is a challenge due to a scarcity of in-situ rainfall. A possible solution is [...] Read more.
Flash floods which occur due to heavy rainfall in hilly and semi-hilly areas may prove deleterious when they hit urban centers. The prediction of such localized and heterogeneous phenomena is a challenge due to a scarcity of in-situ rainfall. A possible solution is the utilization of satellite-based precipitation products. The current study evaluates the efficacy of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) three-hourly products, i.e., 3B42 near-real-time (3B42RT) and 3B42 research version (3B42V7) at a sub-daily time scale. Various categorical indices have been used to assess the capability of products in the detection of rain/no-rain. Hourly rain rates are assessed by employing the most commonly used statistical measures, such as correlation coefficients (CC), mean bias error (MBE), mean absolute error (MAE), and root-mean-square error (RMSE). Further, a diurnal analysis is performed to authenticate TMPA’s performance in specific hours of the day. In general, the results show the good capability of both TMPA products in the detection of rain/no-rain events in all seasons except winter. Specifically, 3B42V7 performed better than 3B42RT. Moreover, both products detect a high number of rainy days falsely in light rain ranges. Regarding rainfall measurements, TMPA products exhibit an overall underestimation. Seasonally, 3B42V7 underestimates rainfall in monsoon and post-monsoon, and overestimates in winter and pre-monsoon. 3B42RT, on the other hand, underestimates rainfall in all seasons. A greater MBE and RMSE are found with both TMPA rain measurements in monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. Overall, a weak correlation and high MBE between the TMPA (3B42RT, 3B42V7) and reference gauge hourly rain rates are found at a three-hourly time scale (CC = 0.41, 0.38, MBE = −0.92, −0.70). The correlation is significant at decadal (CC = 0.79, 0.77) and monthly (CC = 0.91, 0.90) timescales. Furthermore, diurnal rainfall analysis indicates low credibility of 3B42RT to detect flash flooding. Within the parameters of this study, we conclude that the TMPA products are not the best choice at a three-hourly time scale in hilly/semi-hilly areas of Pakistan. However, both products can be used at daily, yet more reliably above daily, time scales, with 3B42V7 preferable due to its consistency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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18 pages, 27994 KiB  
Article
Comparison of the GPM IMERG Final Precipitation Product to RADOLAN Weather Radar Data over the Topographically and Climatically Diverse Germany
by Thomas Ramsauer, Thomas Weiß and Philip Marzahn
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(12), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10122029 - 13 Dec 2018
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6518
Abstract
Precipitation measurements provide crucial information for hydrometeorological applications. In regions where typical precipitation measurement gauges are sparse, gridded products aim to provide alternative data sources. This study examines the performance of NASA’s Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (IMERG, GPM) [...] Read more.
Precipitation measurements provide crucial information for hydrometeorological applications. In regions where typical precipitation measurement gauges are sparse, gridded products aim to provide alternative data sources. This study examines the performance of NASA’s Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (IMERG, GPM) satellite precipitation dataset in capturing the spatio-temporal variability of weather events compared to the German weather radar dataset RADOLAN RW. Besides quantity, also timing of rainfall is of very high importance when modeling or monitoring the hydrologic cycle. Therefore, detection metrics are evaluated along with standard statistical measures to test both datasets. Using indices like “probability of detection” allows a binary evaluation showing the basic categorical accordance of the radar and satellite data. Furthermore, a pixel-by-pixel comparison is performed to assess the ability to represent the spatial variability of rainfall and precipitation quantity. All calculations are additionally carried out for seasonal subsets of the data to assess potentially different behavior due to differences in precipitation schemes. The results indicate significant differences between the datasets. Overall, GPM IMERG overestimates the quantity of precipitation compared to RADOLAN, especially in the winter season. Moreover, shortcomings in detection performance arise in this season with significant erroneously-detected, yet also missed precipitation events compared to the weather radar data. Additionally, along secondary mountain ranges and the Alps, topographically-induced precipitation is not represented in GPM data, which generally shows a lack of spatial variability in rainfall and snowfall estimates due to lower resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 19601 KiB  
Article
Evaluation and Hydrological Utility of the Latest GPM IMERG V5 and GSMaP V7 Precipitation Products over the Tibetan Plateau
by Dekai Lu and Bin Yong
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(12), 2022; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10122022 - 12 Dec 2018
Cited by 103 | Viewed by 5241
Abstract
Satellite precipitation products provide alternative precipitation data in mountain areas. This study aimed to assess the performance of the latest Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) version 5 (IMERG V5) and Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation version 7 (GSMaP [...] Read more.
Satellite precipitation products provide alternative precipitation data in mountain areas. This study aimed to assess the performance of the latest Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) version 5 (IMERG V5) and Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation version 7 (GSMaP V7) products and their hydrological utilities over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Here, two IMERG Final Run products (uncalibrated IMERG (IMERG-UC) and gauge-calibrated IMERG (IMEEG-C)) and two GSMaP products (GSMaP Moving Vector with Kalman Filter (GSMaP-MVK) and gauge-adjusted GSMaP (GSMaP-Gauge)) were evaluated from April 2014 to March 2017. Results show that all four satellite precipitation products could generally capture the spatial patterns of precipitation over the TP. The two gauge-adjusted products were more consistent with the ground measurements than the satellite-only products in terms of statistical assessment. For hydrological simulation, IMERG-UC and GSMaP-MVK showed unsatisfactory performance for hydrological utility, while GSMaP-Gauge demonstrated comparable performance with gauge reference data, suggesting that GSMaP-Gauge can be selected for hydrological application in the TP. Our study also indicates that accurately measuring light rainfall and winter snow is still a challenging task for the current satellite precipitation retrievals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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22 pages, 5428 KiB  
Article
Evaluation and Hydrologic Validation of Three Satellite-Based Precipitation Products in the Upper Catchment of the Red River Basin, China
by Yueyuan Zhang, Yungang Li, Xuan Ji, Xian Luo and Xue Li
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(12), 1881; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10121881 - 24 Nov 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3997
Abstract
Satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) provide alternative precipitation estimates that are especially useful for sparsely gauged and ungauged basins. However, high climate variability and extreme topography pose a challenge. In such regions, rigorous validation is necessary when using SPPs for hydrological applications. We evaluated [...] Read more.
Satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) provide alternative precipitation estimates that are especially useful for sparsely gauged and ungauged basins. However, high climate variability and extreme topography pose a challenge. In such regions, rigorous validation is necessary when using SPPs for hydrological applications. We evaluated the accuracy of three recent SPPs over the upper catchment of the Red River Basin, which is a mountain gorge region of southwest China that experiences a subtropical monsoon climate. The SPPs included the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 V7 product, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Morphing Algorithm (CMORPH), the Bias-corrected product (CMORPH_CRT), and the Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) Climate Data Record (PERSIANN_CDR) products. SPPs were compared with gauge rainfall from 1998 to 2010 at multiple temporal (daily, monthly) and spatial scales (grid, basin). The TRMM 3B42 product showed the best consistency with gauge observations, followed by CMORPH_CRT, and then PERSIANN_CDR. All three SPPs performed poorly when detecting the frequency of non-rain and light rain events (<1 mm); furthermore, they tended to overestimate moderate rainfall (1–25 mm) and underestimate heavy and hard rainfall (>25 mm). GR (Génie Rural) hydrological models were used to evaluate the utility of the three SPPs for daily and monthly streamflow simulation. Under Scenario I (gauge-calibrated parameters), CMORPH_CRT presented the best consistency with observed daily (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient, or NSE = 0.73) and monthly (NSE = 0.82) streamflow. Under Scenario II (individual-calibrated parameters), SPP-driven simulations yielded satisfactory performances (NSE >0.63 for daily, NSE >0.79 for monthly); among them, TRMM 3B42 and CMORPH_CRT performed better than PERSIANN_CDR. SPP-forced simulations underestimated high flow (18.1–28.0%) and overestimated low flow (18.9–49.4%). TRMM 3B42 and CMORPH_CRT show potential for use in hydrological applications over poorly gauged and inaccessible transboundary river basins of Southwest China, particularly for monthly time intervals suitable for water resource management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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20 pages, 10301 KiB  
Article
Performance of TRMM TMPA 3B42 V7 in Replicating Daily Rainfall and Regional Rainfall Regimes in the Amazon Basin (1998–2013)
by Véronique Michot, Daniel Vila, Damien Arvor, Thomas Corpetti, Josyane Ronchail, Beatriz M. Funatsu and Vincent Dubreuil
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(12), 1879; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10121879 - 24 Nov 2018
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4619
Abstract
Knowledge and studies on precipitation in the Amazon Basin (AB) are determinant for environmental aspects such as hydrology, ecology, as well as for social aspects like agriculture, food security, or health issues. Availability of rainfall data at high spatio-temporal resolution is thus crucial [...] Read more.
Knowledge and studies on precipitation in the Amazon Basin (AB) are determinant for environmental aspects such as hydrology, ecology, as well as for social aspects like agriculture, food security, or health issues. Availability of rainfall data at high spatio-temporal resolution is thus crucial for these purposes. Remote sensing techniques provide extensive spatial coverage compared to ground-based rainfall data but it is imperative to assess the quality of the estimates. Previous studies underline at regional scale in the AB, and for some years, the efficiency of the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42 Version 7 (V7) (hereafter 3B42) daily product data, to provide a good view of the rainfall time variability which is important to understand the impacts of El Nino Southern Oscilation. Then our study aims to enhance the knowledge about the quality of this product on the entire AB and provide a useful understanding about his capacity to reproduce the annual rainfall regimes. For that purpose we compared 3B42 against 205 quality-controlled rain gauge measurements for the period from March 1998 to July 2013, with the aim to know whether 3B42 is reliable for climate studies. Analysis of quantitative (Bias, Relative RMSE) and categorical statistics (POD, FAR) for the whole period show a more accurate spatial distribution of mean daily rainfall estimations in the lowlands than in the Andean regions. In the latter, the location of a rain gauge and its exposure seem to be more relevant to explain mismatches with 3B42 rather than its elevation. In general, a good agreement is observed between rain gauge derived regimes and those from 3B42; however, performance is better in the rainy period. Finally, an original way to validate the estimations is by taking into account the interannual variability of rainfall regimes (i.e., the presence of sub-regimes): four sub-regimes in the northeast AB defined from rain gauges and 3B42 were found to be in good agreement. Furthermore, this work examined whether TRMM 3B42 V7 rainfall estimates for all the grid points in the AB, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and water vapor flux patterns are consistent in the northeast of AB. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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23 pages, 4155 KiB  
Article
Developing an Ensemble Precipitation Algorithm from Satellite Products and Its Topographical and Seasonal Evaluations Over Pakistan
by Khalil Ur Rahman, Songhao Shang, Muhammad Shahid and Jiang Li
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1835; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111835 - 20 Nov 2018
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 4969
Abstract
Accurate estimation of precipitation is critical for hydrological, meteorological, and climate models. This study evaluates the performance of satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) including Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)-based Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG), Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA 3B43-v7), [...] Read more.
Accurate estimation of precipitation is critical for hydrological, meteorological, and climate models. This study evaluates the performance of satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs) including Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)-based Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG), Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA 3B43-v7), Precipitation Estimation from Remotely-Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Network (PERSIANN), and PERSIANN-CDR (Climate Data Record), over Pakistan based on Surface Precipitation Gauges (SPGs) at spatial and temporal scales. A novel ensemble precipitation (EP) algorithm is developed by selecting the two best SPPs using the Paired Sample t-test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The SPPs and EP algorithm are evaluated over five climate zones (ranging from glacial Zone-A to hyper-arid Zone-E) based on six statistical metrics. The result indicated that IMERG outperformed all other SPPs, but still has considerable overestimation in the highly elevated zones (+20.93 mm/month in Zone-A) and relatively small underestimation in the arid zone (−2.85 mm/month in Zone-E). Based on the seasonal evaluation, IMERG and TMPA overestimated precipitation during pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons while underestimating precipitation during the post-monsoon and winter seasons. However, the developed EP algorithm significantly reduced the errors both on spatial and temporal scales. The only limitation of the EP algorithm is relatively poor performance at high elevation as compared to low elevations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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15 pages, 6154 KiB  
Article
Comparison of TMPA-3B42RT Legacy Product and the Equivalent IMERG Products over Mainland China
by Lei Wu, Youpeng Xu and Siyuan Wang
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1778; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111778 - 09 Nov 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3605
Abstract
The near-real-time legacy product of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (3B42RT) and the equivalent products of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement mission (IMERG-E and IMERG-L) were evaluated and compared over Mainland China from 1 January 2015 to 31 December [...] Read more.
The near-real-time legacy product of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (3B42RT) and the equivalent products of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement mission (IMERG-E and IMERG-L) were evaluated and compared over Mainland China from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016 at the daily timescale, against rain gauge measurements. Results show that: (1) Both 3B42RT and IMERG products overestimate light rain (0.1–9.9 mm/day), while underestimate moderate rain (10.0–24.9 mm/day) to heavy rainstorm (≥250.0 mm/day), with an increase in mean (absolute) error and a decrease in relative mean absolute error (RMAE). The IMERG products perform better in estimating light rain to heavy rain (25.0–49.9 mm/day), and heavy rainstorm, while 3B42RT has smaller error magnitude in estimating light rainstorm (50.0–99.9 mm/day) and moderate rainstorm (100.0–249.9 mm/day). (2) Higher rainfall intensity associates with better detection. Threshold values are <2.0 mm/day, below which 3B42RT is unreliable at detecting rain; and <1.0 mm/day, below which both 3B42RT and IMERG products are more likely to cause false alarms. (3) Generally, both 3B42RT and IMERG products perform better in wet areas with relatively heavy rainfall intensity and/or during wet season than in dry areas with relatively light rainfall intensity and/or during dry season. Compared with 3B42RT, IMERG-E and IMERG-L constantly improve performance in space and time, but it is not obvious in dry areas and/or during dry season. The agreement between IMERG products and rain gauge measurements is low and even negative for different rainfall intensities, and the RMAE is still at a high level (>50%), indicating the IMERG products remain to be improved. This study will shed light on research and application during the transition in multi-satellite rainfall products from TMPA to IMERG and future algorithms improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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18 pages, 4300 KiB  
Article
Cross-Validation of Observations between the GPM Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar and Ground Based Dual-Polarization Radars
by Sounak Kumar Biswas and V. Chandrasekar
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1773; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111773 - 09 Nov 2018
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 5625
Abstract
The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Core Observatory is equipped with a dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) with capability of measuring precipitation simultaneously at frequencies of 13.6 GHz (Ku-band) and 35.5 GHz (Ka-band). Since the GPM-DPR cannot use information from polarization diversity, radar reflectivity [...] Read more.
The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Core Observatory is equipped with a dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) with capability of measuring precipitation simultaneously at frequencies of 13.6 GHz (Ku-band) and 35.5 GHz (Ka-band). Since the GPM-DPR cannot use information from polarization diversity, radar reflectivity factor is the most important parameter used in all retrievals. In this study, GPM’s observations of reflectivity at dual-frequency and instantaneous rainfall products are compared quantitatively against dual-polarization ground-based NEXRAD radars from the GPM Validation Network (VN). The ground radars, chosen for this study, are located in the southeastern plains of the U.S.A. with altitudes varying from 5 to 210 m. It is a challenging task to quantitatively compare measurements from space-based and ground-based platforms due to their difference in resolution volumes and viewing geometry. To perform comparisons on a point-to-point basis, radar observations need to be volume matched by averaging data in common volume or by re-sampling data to a common grid system. In this study, a 3-D volume matching technique first proposed by Bolen and Chandrasekar (2003) and later modified by Schwaller and Morris (2011) is applied to both radar data. DPR and ground radar observations and products are cross validated against each other with a large data set. Over 250 GPM overpass cases at 5 NEXRAD locations, starting from April 2014 to June 2018, have been considered. Analysis shows that DPR Ku- and Ka-Band reflectivities are well matched with ground radar with correlation coefficient as high as 0.9 for Ku-band and 0.85 for Ka-band. Ground radar calibration is also checked by observing variation in mean biases of reflectivity between DPR and GR over time. DPR rainfall products are also evaluated. Though DPR underestimates higher rainfall rates in convective cases, its overall performance is found to be satisfactory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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22 pages, 10340 KiB  
Article
Tropical Cyclone Rainfall Estimates from FY-3B MWRI Brightness Temperatures Using the WS Algorithm
by Ruanyu Zhang, Zhenzhan Wang and Kyle A. Hilburn
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1770; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111770 - 08 Nov 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2888
Abstract
A rainfall retrieval algorithm for tropical cyclones (TCs) using 18.7 and 36.5 GHz of vertically and horizontally polarized brightness temperatures (Tbs) from the Microwave Radiation Imager (MWRI) is presented. The beamfilling effect is corrected based on ratios of the retrieved liquid water absorption [...] Read more.
A rainfall retrieval algorithm for tropical cyclones (TCs) using 18.7 and 36.5 GHz of vertically and horizontally polarized brightness temperatures (Tbs) from the Microwave Radiation Imager (MWRI) is presented. The beamfilling effect is corrected based on ratios of the retrieved liquid water absorption and theoretical Mie absorption coefficients at 18.7 and 36.5 GHz. To assess the performance of this algorithm, MWRI measurements are matched with the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) precipitation for six TCs. The comparison between MWRI and NSIDC rain rates is relatively encouraging, with a mean bias of −0.14 mm/h and an overall root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 1.99 mm/h. A comparison of pixel-to-pixel retrievals shows that MWRI retrievals are constrained to reasonable levels for most rain categories, with a minimum error of −1.1% in the 10–15 mm/h category; however, with maximum errors around −22% at the lowest (0–0.5 mm/h) and highest rain rates (25–30 mm/h). Additionally, Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) Tbs are applied to retrieve rain rates to assess the sensitivity of this algorithm, with a mean bias and RMSE of 0.90 mm/h and 3.11 mm/h, respectively. For the case study of TC Maon (2011), MWRI retrievals underestimate rain rates over 6 mm/h and overestimate rain rates below 6 mm/h compared with Precipitation Radar (PR) observations on storm scales. The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) rainfall data provided by the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) are applied to assess the representation of mesoscale structures in intense TCs, and they show good consistency with MWRI retrievals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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24 pages, 18479 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Ground-Reference Data and Validation of the H-SAF Precipitation Products in Brazil
by Lia Martins Costa do Amaral, Stefano Barbieri, Daniel Vila, Silvia Puca, Gianfranco Vulpiani, Giulia Panegrossi, Thiago Biscaro, Paolo Sanò, Marco Petracca, Anna Cinzia Marra, Marielle Gosset and Stefano Dietrich
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1743; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111743 - 05 Nov 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4050
Abstract
The uncertainties associated with rainfall estimates comprise various measurement scales: from rain gauges and ground-based radars to the satellite rainfall retrievals. The quality of satellite rainfall products has improved significantly in recent decades; however, such algorithms require validation studies using observational rainfall data. [...] Read more.
The uncertainties associated with rainfall estimates comprise various measurement scales: from rain gauges and ground-based radars to the satellite rainfall retrievals. The quality of satellite rainfall products has improved significantly in recent decades; however, such algorithms require validation studies using observational rainfall data. For this reason, this study aims to apply the H-SAF consolidated radar data processing to the X-band radar used in the CHUVA campaigns and apply the well established H-SAF validation procedure to these data and verify the quality of EUMETSAT H-SAF operational passive microwave precipitation products in two regions of Brazil (Vale do Paraíba and Manaus). These products are based on two rainfall retrieval algorithms: the physically based Bayesian Cloud Dynamics and Radiation Database (CDRD algorithm) for SSMI/S sensors and the Passive microwave Neural network Precipitation Retrieval algorithm (PNPR) for cross-track scanning radiometers (AMSU-A/AMSU-B/MHS sensors) and for the ATMS sensor. These algorithms, optimized for Europe, Africa and the Southern Atlantic region, provide estimates for the MSG full disk area. Firstly, the radar data was treated with an overall quality index which includes corrections for different error sources like ground clutter, range distance, rain-induced attenuation, among others. Different polarimetric and non-polarimetric QPE algorithms have been tested and the Vulpiani algorithm (hereafter, R q 2 V u 15 ) presents the best precipitation retrievals when compared with independent rain gauges. Regarding the results from satellite-based algorithms, generally, all rainfall retrievals tend to detect a larger precipitation area than the ground-based radar and overestimate intense rain rates for the Manaus region. Such behavior is related to the fact that the environmental and meteorological conditions of the Amazon region are not well represented in the algorithms. Differently, for the Vale do Paraíba region, the precipitation patterns were well detected and the estimates are in accordance with the reference as indicated by the low mean bias values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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19 pages, 14743 KiB  
Article
Classification of Hydrometeors Using Measurements of the Ka-Band Cloud Radar Installed at the Milešovka Mountain (Central Europe)
by Zbyněk Sokol, Jana Minářová and Petr Novák
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1674; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111674 - 23 Oct 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4271
Abstract
In radar meteorology, greater interest is dedicated to weather radars and precipitation analyses. However, cloud radars provide us with detailed information on cloud particles from which the precipitation consists of. Motivated by research on the cloud particles, a vertical Ka-band cloud radar (35 [...] Read more.
In radar meteorology, greater interest is dedicated to weather radars and precipitation analyses. However, cloud radars provide us with detailed information on cloud particles from which the precipitation consists of. Motivated by research on the cloud particles, a vertical Ka-band cloud radar (35 GHz) was installed at the Milešovka observatory in Central Europe and was operationally measuring since June 2018. This study presents algorithms that we use to retrieve vertical air velocity (Vair) and hydrometeors. The algorithm calculating Vair is based on small-particle tracers, which considers the terminal velocity of small particles negligible and, thereby, Vair corresponds to the velocity of the small particles. The algorithm classifying hydrometeors consists of calculating the terminal velocity of hydrometeors and the vertical temperature profile. It identifies six hydrometeor types (cloud droplets, ice, and four precipitating particles: rain, graupel, snow, and hail) based on the calculated terminal velocity of hydrometeors, temperature, Vair, and Linear Depolarization Ratio. The results of both the Vair and the distribution of hydrometeors were found to be realistic for a thunderstorm associated with significant lightning activity on 1 June 2018. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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23 pages, 11444 KiB  
Article
The Implementation of a Mineral Dust Wet Deposition Scheme in the GOCART-AFWA Module of the WRF Model
by Konstantinos Tsarpalis, Anastasios Papadopoulos, Nikolaos Mihalopoulos, Christos Spyrou, Silas Michaelides and Petros Katsafados
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101595 - 06 Oct 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4649
Abstract
The principal objective of this study is to present and evaluate an advanced dust wet deposition scheme in the Weather and Research Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). As far as the chemistry component is concerned, the Georgia Tech Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry [...] Read more.
The principal objective of this study is to present and evaluate an advanced dust wet deposition scheme in the Weather and Research Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem). As far as the chemistry component is concerned, the Georgia Tech Goddard Global Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport of the Air Force Weather Agency (GOCART-AFWA) module is applied, as it supports a binary scheme for dust emissions and transport. However, the GOCART-AFWA aerosol module does not incorporate a wet scavenging scheme, nor does it interact with cloud processes. The integration of a dust wet deposition scheme following Seinfeld and Pandis into the WRF-Chem model is assessed through a case study of large-scale Saharan dust transport over the Eastern Mediterranean that is characterized by severe wet deposition over Greece. An acceptable agreement was found between the calculated and measured near surface PM10 concentrations, as well as when model estimated atmospheric optical depth (AOD) was validated against the AERONET measurements, indicating the validity of our dust wet deposition scheme. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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17 pages, 2816 KiB  
Article
Observed High-Latitude Precipitation Amount and Pattern and CMIP5 Model Projections
by Ali Behrangi and Mark Richardson
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101583 - 01 Oct 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3588
Abstract
Utilizing reanalysis and high sensitivity W-band radar observations from CloudSat, this study assesses simulated high-latitude (55–82.5°) precipitation and its future changes under the RCP8.5 global warming scenario. A subset of models was selected based on the smallest discrepancy relative to CloudSat and ERA-I [...] Read more.
Utilizing reanalysis and high sensitivity W-band radar observations from CloudSat, this study assesses simulated high-latitude (55–82.5°) precipitation and its future changes under the RCP8.5 global warming scenario. A subset of models was selected based on the smallest discrepancy relative to CloudSat and ERA-I reanalysis using a combined ranking for bias and spatial root mean square error (RMSE). After accounting for uncertainties introduced by internal variability due to CloudSat’s limited four year day-night observation period, RMSE provides greater discrimination between the models than a typical mean state bias criterion. Over 1976–2005 to 2071–2100, colder months experience larger fractional modelled precipitation increases than warmer months, and the observation-constrained models generally report a larger response than the full ensemble. For everywhere except the Southern Hemisphere (SH55, for 55–82.5°S) ocean, the selected models show greater warming than the model ensemble while their hydrological sensitivity (fractional precipitation change with temperature) is indistinguishable from the full ensemble relationship. This indicates that local thermodynamic effects explain much of the net high-latitude precipitation change. For the SH ocean, the models that perform best in the present climate show near-median warming but greater precipitation increase, implying a detectable contribution from processes other than local thermodynamic changes. A Taylor diagram analysis of the full CMIP5 ensemble finds that the Northern Hemisphere (NH55) and SH55 land areas follow a “wet get wetter” paradigm. The SH55 land areas show stable spatial correlations between the simulated present and future climate, indicative of small changes in the spatial pattern, but this is not true of NH55 land. This shows changes in the spatial pattern of precipitation changes through time as well as the differences in precipitation between wet and dry regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 4331 KiB  
Article
Comparison and Bias Correction of TMPA Precipitation Products over the Lower Part of Red–Thai Binh River Basin of Vietnam
by Hung Manh Le, Jessica R. P. Sutton, Duong Du Bui, John D. Bolten and Venkataraman Lakshmi
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1582; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101582 - 01 Oct 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4561
Abstract
As the limitation of rainfall collection by ground measurement has been widely recognized, satellite-based rainfall estimate is a promising high-resolution alternative in both time and space. This study is aimed at exploring the capacity of the satellite-based rainfall product Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission [...] Read more.
As the limitation of rainfall collection by ground measurement has been widely recognized, satellite-based rainfall estimate is a promising high-resolution alternative in both time and space. This study is aimed at exploring the capacity of the satellite-based rainfall product Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), including 3B42V7 research data and its real-time 3B42RT data, by comparing them against data from 29 ground observation stations over the lower part of the Red–Thai Binh River Basin from March 2000 to December 2016. Various statistical metrics were applied to evaluate the TMPA products. The results showed that both 3B42V7 and 3B42RT had weak relationships with daily observations, but 3B42V7 data had strong agreement on the monthly scale compared to 3B42RT. Seasonal analysis showed that 3B42V7 and 3B42RT underestimated rainfall during the dry season and overestimated rainfall during the wet season, with high bias observed for 3B42RT. In addition, detection metrics demonstrated that TMPA products could detect rainfall events in the wet season much better than in the dry season. When rainfall intensity was analyzed, both 3B42V7 and 3B42RT overestimated the no rainfall event during the dry season but underestimated these events during the wet season. Finally, based on the moderate correlation between climatology–topography characteristics and correction factors of linear-scaling (LS) approach, a set of multiple linear models was developed to reduce the error between TMPA products and the observations. The results showed that climatology–topography-based linear-scaling approach (CTLS) significantly reduced the percentage bias (PBIAS) score and moderately improved the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) score. The finding of this paper gives an overview of the capacity of TMPA products in the lower part of the Red–Thai Binh River Basin regarding water resource applications and provides a simple bias correction that can be used to improve the correctness of TMPA products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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23 pages, 11236 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Livorno Heavy Rainfall Event: Examples of Satellite-Based Observation Techniques in Support of Numerical Weather Prediction
by Elisabetta Ricciardelli, Francesco Di Paola, Sabrina Gentile, Angela Cersosimo, Domenico Cimini, Donatello Gallucci, Edoardo Geraldi, Salvatore Larosa, Saverio Teodosio Nilo, Ermann Ripepi, Filomena Romano and Mariassunta Viggiano
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101549 - 26 Sep 2018
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4568
Abstract
This study investigates the value of satellite-based observational algorithms in supporting numerical weather prediction (NWP) for improving the alert and monitoring of extreme rainfall events. To this aim, the analysis of the very intense precipitation that affected the city of Livorno on 9 [...] Read more.
This study investigates the value of satellite-based observational algorithms in supporting numerical weather prediction (NWP) for improving the alert and monitoring of extreme rainfall events. To this aim, the analysis of the very intense precipitation that affected the city of Livorno on 9 and 10 September 2017 is performed by applying three remote sensing techniques based on satellite observations at infrared/visible and microwave frequencies and by using maps of accumulated rainfall from the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model. The satellite-based observational algorithms are the precipitation evolving technique (PET), the rain class evaluation from infrared and visible observations (RainCEIV) technique and the cloud classification mask coupling of statistical and physics methods (C-MACSP). Moreover, the rain rates estimated by the Italian Weather Radar Network are also considered to get a quantitative evaluation of RainCEIV and PET performance. The statistical assessment shows good skills for both the algorithms (for PET: bias = 1.03, POD = 0.76, FAR = 0.26; for RainCEIV: bias = 1.33, POD = 0.77, FAR = 0.41). In addition, a qualitative comparison among the three technique outputs, rain rate radar maps, and WRF accumulated rainfall maps is also carried out in order to highlight the advantages of the different techniques in providing real-time monitoring, as well as quantitative characterization of rainy areas, especially when rain rate measurements from Weather Radar Network and/or from rain gauges are not available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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19 pages, 4171 KiB  
Article
Evaluation and Intercomparison of High-Resolution Satellite Precipitation Estimates—GPM, TRMM, and CMORPH in the Tianshan Mountain Area
by Chi Zhang, Xi Chen, Hua Shao, Shuying Chen, Tong Liu, Chunbo Chen, Qian Ding and Haoyang Du
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1543; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101543 - 25 Sep 2018
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 4597
Abstract
With high resolution and wide coverage, satellite precipitation products like Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) could support hydrological/ecological research in the Tianshan Mountains, where the spatial heterogeneity of precipitation is high, but where rain gauges are sparse and unevenly distributed. Based on observations from [...] Read more.
With high resolution and wide coverage, satellite precipitation products like Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) could support hydrological/ecological research in the Tianshan Mountains, where the spatial heterogeneity of precipitation is high, but where rain gauges are sparse and unevenly distributed. Based on observations from 46 stations from 2014–2015, we evaluated the accuracies of three satellite precipitation products: GPM, Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42, and the Climate Prediction Center morphing technique (CMORPH), in the Tianshan Mountains. The satellite estimates significantly correlated with the observations. They showed a northwest–southeast precipitation gradient that reflected the effects of large-scale circulations and a characteristic seasonal precipitation gradient that matched the observed regional precipitation pattern. With the highest correlation (R = 0.51), the lowest error (RMSE = 0.85 mm/day), and the smallest bias (1.27%), GPM outperformed TRMM and CMORPH in estimating daily precipitation. It performed the best at both regional and sub-regional scales and in low and mid-elevations. GPM had relatively balanced performances across all seasons, while CMORPH had significant biases in summer (46.43%) and winter (−22.93%), and TRMM performed extremely poorly in spring (R = 0.31; RMSE = 1.15 mm/day; bias = −20.29%). GPM also performed the best in detecting precipitation events, especially light and moderate precipitation, possibly due to the newly added Ka-band and high-frequency microwave channels. It successfully detected 62.09% of the precipitation events that exceeded 0.5 mm/day. However, its ability to estimate severe rainfall has not been improved as expected. Like other satellite products, GPM had the highest RMSE and bias in summer, suggesting limitations in its way of representing small-scale precipitation systems and isolated deep convection. It also underestimated the precipitation in high-elevation regions by 16%, suggesting the difficulties of capturing the orographic enhancement of rainfall associated with cap clouds and feeder–seeder cloud interactions over ridges. These findings suggest that GPM may outperform its predecessors in the mid-/high-latitude dryland, but not the tropical mountainous areas. With the advantage of high resolution and improved accuracy, the GPM creates new opportunities for understanding the precipitation pattern across the complex terrains of the Tianshan Mountains, and it could improve hydrological/ecological research in the area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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16 pages, 7166 KiB  
Article
Validation of the First Years of GPM Operation over Cyprus
by Adrianos Retalis, Dimitris Katsanos, Filippos Tymvios and Silas Michaelides
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(10), 1520; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10101520 - 21 Sep 2018
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3796
Abstract
Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) high-resolution product is validated against rain gauges over the island of Cyprus for a three-year period, starting from April 2014. The precipitation estimates are available in both high temporal (half hourly) and spatial (10 km) resolution and combine data [...] Read more.
Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) high-resolution product is validated against rain gauges over the island of Cyprus for a three-year period, starting from April 2014. The precipitation estimates are available in both high temporal (half hourly) and spatial (10 km) resolution and combine data from all passive microwave instruments in the GPM constellation. The comparison performed is twofold: first the GPM data are compared with the precipitation measurements on a monthly basis and then the comparison focuses on extreme events, recorded throughout the first 3 years of GPM’s operation. The validation is based on ground data from a dense and reliable network of rain gauges, also available in high temporal (hourly) resolution. The first results show very good correlation regarding monthly values; however, the correspondence of GPM in extreme precipitation varies from “no correlation” to “high correlation”, depending on case. This study aims to verify the GPM rain estimates, since such a high-resolution dataset has numerous applications, including the assimilation in numerical weather prediction models and the study of flash floods with hydrological models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 2767 KiB  
Article
Potential of Cost-Efficient Single Frequency GNSS Receivers for Water Vapor Monitoring
by Andreas Krietemeyer, Marie-claire Ten Veldhuis, Hans Van der Marel, Eugenio Realini and Nick Van de Giesen
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(9), 1493; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091493 - 18 Sep 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 5292
Abstract
Dual-frequency Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) enable the estimation of Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) which can be converted to Precipitable Water Vapor (PWV). The density of existing GNSS monitoring networks is insufficient to capture small-scale water vapor variations that are especially important for [...] Read more.
Dual-frequency Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) enable the estimation of Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD) which can be converted to Precipitable Water Vapor (PWV). The density of existing GNSS monitoring networks is insufficient to capture small-scale water vapor variations that are especially important for extreme weather forecasting. A densification with geodetic-grade dual-frequency receivers is not economically feasible. Cost-efficient single-frequency receivers offer a possible alternative. This paper studies the feasibility of using low-cost receivers to increase the density of GNSS networks for retrieval of PWV. We processed one year of GNSS data from an IGS station and two co-located single-frequency stations. Additionally, in another experiment, the Radio Frequency (RF) signal from a geodetic-grade dual-frequency antenna was split to a geodetic receiver and two low-cost receivers. To process the single-frequency observations in Precise Point Positioning (PPP) mode, we apply the Satellite-specific Epoch-differenced Ionospheric Delay (SEID) model using two different reference network configurations of 50–80 km and 200–300 km mean station distances, respectively. Our research setup can distinguish between the antenna, ionospheric interpolation, and software-related impacts on the quality of PWV retrievals. The study shows that single-frequency GNSS receivers can achieve a quality similar to that of geodetic receivers in terms of RMSE for ZTD estimations. We demonstrate that modeling of the ionosphere and the antenna type are the main sources influencing the ZTD precision. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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17 pages, 9608 KiB  
Article
Impact of Radiance Data Assimilation on the Prediction of Heavy Rainfall in RMAPS: A Case Study
by Yanhui Xie, Jiancheng Shi, Shuiyong Fan, Min Chen, Youjun Dou and Dabin Ji
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(9), 1380; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091380 - 30 Aug 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3388
Abstract
Herein, a case study on the impact of assimilating satellite radiance observation data into the rapid-refresh multi-scale analysis and prediction system (RMAPS) is presented. This case study targeted the 48 h period from 19–20 July 2016, which was characterized by the passage of [...] Read more.
Herein, a case study on the impact of assimilating satellite radiance observation data into the rapid-refresh multi-scale analysis and prediction system (RMAPS) is presented. This case study targeted the 48 h period from 19–20 July 2016, which was characterized by the passage of a low pressure system that produced heavy rainfall over North China. Two experiments were performed and 24 h forecasts were produced every 3 h. The results indicated that the forecast prior to the satellite radiance data assimilation could not accurately predict heavy rainfall events over Beijing and the surrounding area. The assimilation of satellite radiance data from the advanced microwave sounding unit-A (AMSU-A) and microwave humidity sounding (MHS) improved the skills of the quantitative precipitation forecast to a certain extent. In comparison with the control experiment that only assimilated conventional observations, the experiment with the integrated satellite radiance data improved the rainfall forecast accuracy for 6 h accumulated precipitation after about 6 h, especially for rainfall amounts that were greater than 25 mm. The average rainfall score was improved by 14.2% for the 25 mm threshold and by 35.8% for 50 mm of rainfall. The results also indicated a positive impact of assimilating satellite radiances, which was primarily reflected by the improved performance of quantitative precipitation forecasting and higher spatial correlation in the forecast range of 6–12 h. Satellite radiance observations provided certain valuable information that was related to the temperature profile, which increased the scope of the prediction of heavy rainfall and led to an improvement in the rainfall scoring in the RMAPS. The inclusion of satellite radiance observations was found to have a small but beneficial impact on the prediction of heavy rainfall events as it relates to our case study conditions. These findings suggest that the assimilation of satellite radiance data in the RMAPS can provide an overall improvement in heavy rainfall forecasting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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23 pages, 5554 KiB  
Article
Benefits of the Successive GPM Based Satellite Precipitation Estimates IMERG–V03, –V04, –V05 and GSMaP–V06, –V07 Over Diverse Geomorphic and Meteorological Regions of Pakistan
by Frédéric Satgé, Yawar Hussain, Marie-Paule Bonnet, Babar M. Hussain, Hernan Martinez-Carvajal, Gulraiz Akhter and Rogério Uagoda
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(9), 1373; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091373 - 30 Aug 2018
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5108
Abstract
Launched in 2014, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission aimed at ensuring the continuity with the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) launched in 1997 that has provided unprecedented accuracy in Satellite Precipitation Estimates (SPEs) on the near-global scale. Since then, various SPE versions [...] Read more.
Launched in 2014, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission aimed at ensuring the continuity with the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) launched in 1997 that has provided unprecedented accuracy in Satellite Precipitation Estimates (SPEs) on the near-global scale. Since then, various SPE versions have been successively made available from the GPM mission. The present study assesses the potential benefits of the successive GPM based SPEs product versions that include the Integrated Multi–Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) version 3 to 5 (–v03, –v04, –v05) and the Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) version 6 to 7 (–v06, –v07). Additionally, the most effective TRMM based SPEs products are also considered to provide a first insight into the GPM effectiveness in ensuring TRMM continuity. The analysis is conducted over different geomorphic and meteorological regions of Pakistan while using 88 precipitations gauges as the reference. Results show a clear enhancement in precipitation estimates that were derived from the very last IMERG–v05 in comparison to its two previous versions IMERG–v03 and –v04. Interestingly, based on the considered statistical metrics, IMERG–v03 provides more consistent precipitation estimate than IMERG–v04, which should be considered as a transition IMERG version. As expected, GSMaP–v07 precipitation estimates are more accurate than the previous GSMaP–v06. However, the enhancement from the old to the new version is very low. More generally, the transition from TRMM to GPM is successful with an overall better performance of GPM based SPEs than TRMM ones. Finally, all of the considered SPEs have presented a strong spatial variability in terms of accuracy with none of them outperforming the others, for all of the gauges locations over the considered regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 3932 KiB  
Article
SLALOM: An All-Surface Snow Water Path Retrieval Algorithm for the GPM Microwave Imager
by Jean-François Rysman, Giulia Panegrossi, Paolo Sanò, Anna Cinzia Marra, Stefano Dietrich, Lisa Milani and Mark S. Kulie
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(8), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10081278 - 14 Aug 2018
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5403
Abstract
This paper describes a new algorithm that is able to detect snowfall and retrieve the associated snow water path (SWP), for any surface type, using the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). The algorithm is tuned and evaluated against coincident observations of [...] Read more.
This paper describes a new algorithm that is able to detect snowfall and retrieve the associated snow water path (SWP), for any surface type, using the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). The algorithm is tuned and evaluated against coincident observations of the Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) onboard CloudSat. It is composed of three modules for (i) snowfall detection, (ii) supercooled droplet detection and (iii) SWP retrieval. This algorithm takes into account environmental conditions to retrieve SWP and does not rely on any surface classification scheme. The snowfall detection module is able to detect 83% of snowfall events including light SWP (down to 1 × 10−3 kg·m−2) with a false alarm ratio of 0.12. The supercooled detection module detects 97% of events, with a false alarm ratio of 0.05. The SWP estimates show a relative bias of −11%, a correlation of 0.84 and a root mean square error of 0.04 kg·m−2. Several applications of the algorithm are highlighted: Three case studies of snowfall events are investigated, and a 2-year high resolution 70°S–70°N snowfall occurrence distribution is presented. These results illustrate the high potential of this algorithm for snowfall detection and SWP retrieval using GMI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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24 pages, 40535 KiB  
Article
Advancing Precipitation Estimation and Streamflow Simulations in Complex Terrain with X-Band Dual-Polarization Radar Observations
by Marios N. Anagnostou, Efthymios I. Nikolopoulos, John Kalogiros, Emmanouil N. Anagnostou, Francesco Marra, Elisabeth Mair, Giacomo Bertoldi, Ulrike Tappeiner and Marco Borga
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(8), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10081258 - 10 Aug 2018
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5288
Abstract
In mountain basins, the use of long-range operational weather radars is often associated with poor quantitative precipitation estimation due to a number of challenges posed by the complexity of terrain. As a result, the applicability of radar-based precipitation estimates for hydrological studies is [...] Read more.
In mountain basins, the use of long-range operational weather radars is often associated with poor quantitative precipitation estimation due to a number of challenges posed by the complexity of terrain. As a result, the applicability of radar-based precipitation estimates for hydrological studies is often limited over areas that are in close proximity to the radar. This study evaluates the advantages of using X-band polarimetric (XPOL) radar as a means to fill the coverage gaps and improve complex terrain precipitation estimation and associated hydrological applications based on a field experiment conducted in an area of Northeast Italian Alps characterized by large elevation differences. The corresponding rainfall estimates from two operational C-band weather radar observations are compared to the XPOL rainfall estimates for a near-range (10–35 km) mountainous basin (64 km2). In situ rainfall observations from a dense rain gauge network and two disdrometers (a 2D-video and a Parsivel) are used for ground validation of the radar-rainfall estimates. Ten storm events over a period of two years are used to explore the differences between the locally deployed XPOL vs. longer-range operational radar-rainfall error statistics. Hourly aggregate rainfall estimates by XPOL, corrected for rain-path attenuation and vertical reflectivity profile, exhibited correlations between 0.70 and 0.99 against reference rainfall data and 21% mean relative error for rainfall rates above 0.2 mm h−1. The corresponding metrics from the operational radar-network rainfall products gave a strong underestimation (50–70%) and lower correlations (0.48–0.81). For the two highest flow-peak events, a hydrological model (Kinematic Local Excess Model) was forced with the different radar-rainfall estimations and in situ rain gauge precipitation data at hourly resolution, exhibiting close agreement between the XPOL and gauge-based driven runoff simulations, while the simulations obtained by the operational radar rainfall products resulted in a greatly underestimated runoff response. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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12 pages, 2006 KiB  
Article
Estimates of the Change in the Oceanic Precipitation Off the Coast of Europe due to Increasing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
by Francisco J. Tapiador, Andrés Navarro, Cecilia Marcos and Raúl Moreno
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(8), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10081198 - 31 Jul 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2905
Abstract
This paper presents a consensus estimate of the changes in oceanic precipitation off the coast of Europe under increasing greenhouse gas emissions. An ensemble of regional climate models (RCMs) and three gauge and satellite-derived observational precipitation datasets are compared. While the fit between [...] Read more.
This paper presents a consensus estimate of the changes in oceanic precipitation off the coast of Europe under increasing greenhouse gas emissions. An ensemble of regional climate models (RCMs) and three gauge and satellite-derived observational precipitation datasets are compared. While the fit between the RCMs’ simulation of current climate and the observations shows the consistency of the future-climate projections, uncertainties in both the models and the measurements need to be considered to generate a consensus estimate of the potential changes. Since oceanic precipitation is one of the factors affecting the thermohaline circulation, the feedback mechanisms of the changes in the net influx of freshwater from precipitation are relevant not only for improving oceanic-atmospheric coupled models but also to ascertain the climate signal in a global warming scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 2906 KiB  
Article
The Passive Microwave Neural Network Precipitation Retrieval (PNPR) Algorithm for the CONICAL Scanning Global Microwave Imager (GMI) Radiometer
by Paolo Sanò, Giulia Panegrossi, Daniele Casella, Anna C. Marra, Leo P. D’Adderio, Jean F. Rysman and Stefano Dietrich
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(7), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10071122 - 16 Jul 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4878
Abstract
This paper describes a new rainfall rate retrieval algorithm, developed within the EUMETSAT H SAF program, based on the Passive microwave Neural network Precipitation Retrieval approach (PNPR v3), designed to work with the conically scanning Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). A [...] Read more.
This paper describes a new rainfall rate retrieval algorithm, developed within the EUMETSAT H SAF program, based on the Passive microwave Neural network Precipitation Retrieval approach (PNPR v3), designed to work with the conically scanning Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI). A new rain/no-rain classification scheme, also based on the NN approach, which provides different rainfall masks for different minimum thresholds and degree of reliability, is also described. The algorithm is trained on an extremely large observational database, built from GPM global observations between 2014 and 2016, where the NASA 2B-CMB (V04) rainfall rate product is used as reference. In order to assess the performance of PNPR v3 over the globe, an independent part of the observational database is used in a verification study. The good results found over all surface types (CC > 0.90, ME < −0.22 mm h−1, RMSE < 2.75 mm h−1 and FSE% < 100% for rainfall rates lower than 1 mm h−1 and around 30–50% for moderate to high rainfall rates), demonstrate the good outcome of the input selection procedure, as well as of the training and design phase of the neural network. For further verification, two case studies over Italy are also analysed and a good consistency of PNPR v3 retrievals with simultaneous ground radar observations and with the GMI GPROF V05 estimates is found. PNPR v3 is a global rainfall retrieval algorithm, able to optimally exploit the GMI multi-channel response to different surface types and precipitation structures, that provide global rainfall retrieval in a computationally very efficient way, making the product suitable for near-real time operational applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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19 pages, 11918 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Satellite and Radar Quantitative Precipitation Estimates for Real Time Monitoring of Meteorological Extremes Over the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula
by Fulgencio Cánovas-García, Sandra García-Galiano and Francisco Alonso-Sarría
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(7), 1023; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10071023 - 27 Jun 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3855
Abstract
Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) obtained from remote sensing or ground-based radars could complement or even be an alternative to rain gauge readings. However, to be used in operational applications, a validation process has to be carried out, usually by comparing their estimates with [...] Read more.
Quantitative Precipitation Estimates (QPEs) obtained from remote sensing or ground-based radars could complement or even be an alternative to rain gauge readings. However, to be used in operational applications, a validation process has to be carried out, usually by comparing their estimates with those of a rain gauges network. In this paper, the accuracy of three QPEs are evaluated for three extreme precipitation events in the last decade in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The first QPE is PERSIANN-CCS (Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks - Cloud Classification System) , a satellite-based QPE. The second and the third are QPEs from a meteorological radar with Doppler capabilities that works in the C band. Pixel-to-point comparisons are made between the values offered by the QPEs and those obtained by two networks of rain gauges. The results obtained indicate that all the QPEs were well below the rain gauge values in extreme rainfall time slots. There seems to be a weak linear association between the value of the discrepancies and the precipitation value of the QPEs. The main conclusion, assuming the information from the rain gauges as ground truth, is that neither PERSIANN-CCS nor radar, without empirical calibration, are acceptable QPEs for the real-time monitoring of meteorological extremes in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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13 pages, 2269 KiB  
Article
Variability of Microwave Scattering in a Stochastic Ensemble of Measured Rain Drops
by Francisco J. Tapiador, Raúl Moreno, Andrés Navarro, Alfonso Jiménez, Enrique Arias and Diego Cazorla
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 960; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060960 - 15 Jun 2018
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3654
Abstract
While it has been proved that multiple scattering in the microwave frequencies has to be accounted for in precipitation retrieval algorithms, the effects of the random arrangements of drops in space has seldom been investigated. The fact is, a single rain drop size [...] Read more.
While it has been proved that multiple scattering in the microwave frequencies has to be accounted for in precipitation retrieval algorithms, the effects of the random arrangements of drops in space has seldom been investigated. The fact is, a single rain drop size distribution (RDSD) corresponds with many actual 3D distributions of those rain drops and each of those may a priori absorb and scatter radiation in a different way. Each spatial configuration is equivalent to any other in terms of the RDSD function, but not in terms of radiometric characteristics, both near and far from field, because of changes in the relative phases among the particles. Here, using the T-matrix formalism, we investigate the radiometric variability of two ensembles of 50 different 3D, stochastically-derived configurations from two consecutive measured RDSDs with 30 and 31 drops, respectively. The results show that the random distribution of drops in space has a measurable but apparently small effect in the scattering calculations with the exception of the asymmetry factor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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18 pages, 6642 KiB  
Article
Multiscale Comparative Evaluation of the GPM IMERG v5 and TRMM 3B42 v7 Precipitation Products from 2015 to 2017 over a Climate Transition Area of China
by Cheng Chen, Qiuwen Chen, Zheng Duan, Jianyun Zhang, Kangle Mo, Zhe Li and Guoqiang Tang
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060944 - 14 Jun 2018
Cited by 95 | Viewed by 5754
Abstract
The performance of the latest released Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM mission (IMERG) version 5 (IMERG v5) and the TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis 3B42 version 7 (3B42 v7) are evaluated and compared at multiple temporal scales over a semi-humid to humid climate transition [...] Read more.
The performance of the latest released Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM mission (IMERG) version 5 (IMERG v5) and the TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis 3B42 version 7 (3B42 v7) are evaluated and compared at multiple temporal scales over a semi-humid to humid climate transition area (Huaihe River basin) from 2015 to 2017. The impacts of rainfall rate, latitude and elevation on precipitation detection skills are also investigated. Results indicate that both satellite estimates showed a high Pearson correlation coefficient (r, above 0.89) with gauge observations, and an overestimation of precipitation at monthly and annual scales. Mean daily precipitation of IMERG v5 and 3B42 v7 display a consistent spatial pattern, and both characterize the observed precipitation distribution well, but 3B42 v7 tends to markedly overestimate precipitation over water bodies. Both satellite precipitation products overestimate rainfalls with intensity ranging from 0.5 to 25 mm/day, but tend to underestimate light (0–0.5 mm/day) and heavy (>25 mm/day) rainfalls, especially for torrential rains (above 100 mm/day). Regarding each gauge station, the IMERG v5 has larger mean r (0.36 for GPM, 0.33 for TRMM) and lower mean relative root mean square error (RRMSE, 1.73 for GPM, 1.88 for TRMM) than those of 3B42 v7. The higher probability of detection (POD), critical success index (CSI) and lower false alarm ratio (FAR) of IMERG v5 than those of 3B42 v7 at different rainfall rates indicates that IMERG v5 in general performs better in detecting the observed precipitations. This study provides a better understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of accuracy of IMERG v5 and 3B42 v7 precipitation and the influencing factors, which is of great significance to hydrological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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19 pages, 6392 KiB  
Article
Using Multiple Monthly Water Balance Models to Evaluate Gridded Precipitation Products over Peninsular Spain
by Javier Senent-Aparicio, Adrián López-Ballesteros, Julio Pérez-Sánchez, Francisco José Segura-Méndez and David Pulido-Velazquez
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060922 - 11 Jun 2018
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 3848
Abstract
The availability of precipitation data is the key driver in the application of hydrological models when simulating streamflow. Ground weather stations are regularly used to measure precipitation. However, spatial coverage is often limited in low-population areas and mountain areas. To overcome this limitation, [...] Read more.
The availability of precipitation data is the key driver in the application of hydrological models when simulating streamflow. Ground weather stations are regularly used to measure precipitation. However, spatial coverage is often limited in low-population areas and mountain areas. To overcome this limitation, gridded datasets from remote sensing have been widely used. This study evaluates four widely used global precipitation datasets (GPDs): The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B43, the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), the Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN), and the Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP), against point gauge and gridded dataset observations using multiple monthly water balance models (MWBMs) in four different meso-scale basins that cover the main climatic zones of Peninsular Spain. The volumes of precipitation obtained from the GPDs tend to be smaller than those from the gauged data. Results underscore the superiority of the national gridded dataset, although the TRMM provides satisfactory results in simulating streamflow, reaching similar Nash-Sutcliffe values, between 0.70 and 0.95, and an average total volume error of 12% when using the GR2M model. The performance of GPDs highly depends on the climate, so that the more humid the watershed is, the better results can be achieved. The procedures used can be applied in regions with similar case studies to more accurately assess the resources within a system in which there is scarcity of recorded data available. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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17 pages, 25447 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of TRMM/GPM Blended Daily Products over Brazil
by José Roberto Rozante, Daniel A. Vila, Júlio Barboza Chiquetto, Alex De A. Fernandes and Débora Souza Alvim
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060882 - 06 Jun 2018
Cited by 98 | Viewed by 7046
Abstract
The precipitation estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (named TMPA and TMPA-RT for the near real-time version) are widely used both in research and in operational forecasting. However, they will be discontinued soon. The products from the Integrated [...] Read more.
The precipitation estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (named TMPA and TMPA-RT for the near real-time version) are widely used both in research and in operational forecasting. However, they will be discontinued soon. The products from the Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) and The Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) are analyzed as potential replacements for TMPA products. The objective of this study is to assess whether the IMERG and/or GSMaP products can properly replace TMPA in several regions with different precipitation regimes within Brazil. The validation study was conducted during the period from 1st of April, 2014 to the 28th of February, 2017 (1065 days), using daily accumulated rain gauge stations over Brazil. Six regions were considered for this study: five according to the precipitation regime, plus another one for the entire Brazilian territory. IMERG-Final, TMPA-V7 and GSMaP-Gauges were the selected versions of those algorithms for this validation study, which include a bias adjustment with monthly (IMERG and TMPA) and daily (GSMaP) gauge accumulations, because they are widely used in the user’s community. Results indicate similar behavior for IMERG and TMPA products, showing that they overestimate precipitation, while GSMaP tend to slightly underestimate the amount of rainfall in most of the analyzed regions. The exception is the northeastern coast of Brazil, where all products underestimate the daily rainfall accumulations. For all analyzed regions, GSMaP and IMERG products present a better performance compared to TMPA products; therefore, they could be suitable replacements for the TMPA. This is particularly important for hydrological forecasting in small river basins, since those products present a finer spatial and temporal resolution compared with TMPA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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21 pages, 5268 KiB  
Article
Hydrologic Evaluation of Multi-Source Satellite Precipitation Products for the Upper Huaihe River Basin, China
by Zhiyong Wu, Zhengguang Xu, Fang Wang, Hai He, Jianhong Zhou, Xiaotao Wu and Zhenchen Liu
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060840 - 28 May 2018
Cited by 55 | Viewed by 5536
Abstract
To evaluate the performance and hydrological utility of merged precipitation products at the current technical level of integration, a newly developed merged precipitation product, Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP) Version 2.1 was evaluated in this study based on rain gauge observations and the Variable [...] Read more.
To evaluate the performance and hydrological utility of merged precipitation products at the current technical level of integration, a newly developed merged precipitation product, Multi-Source Weighted-Ensemble Precipitation (MSWEP) Version 2.1 was evaluated in this study based on rain gauge observations and the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model for the upper Huaihe River Basin, China. For comparison, three satellite-based precipitation products (SPPs), including Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) Version 2.0, Climate Prediction Center MORPHing technique (CMORPH) bias-corrected product Version 1.0, and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) 3B42 Version 7, were evaluated. The error analysis against rain gauge observations reveals that the merged precipitation MSWEP performs best, followed by TMPA and CMORPH, which in turn outperform CHIRPS. Generally, the contribution of the random error in all four quantitative precipitation estimates (QPEs) is larger than the systematic error. Additionally, QPEs show large uncertainty in the mountainous regions, with larger systematic errors, and tend to underestimate the precipitation. Under two parameterization scenarios, the MSWEP provides the best streamflow simulation results and TMPA forced simulation ranks second. Unfortunately, the CHIRPS and CMORPH forced simulations produce unsatisfactory results. The relative error (RE) of QPEs is the main factor affecting the RE of simulated streamflow, especially for the results of Scenario I (model parameters calibrated by rain gauge observations). However, its influence on the simulated streamflow can be greatly reduced by recalibration of the parameters using the corresponding QPEs (Scenario II). All QPEs forced simulations underestimate the streamflow with exceedance probabilities below 5.0%, while they overestimate the streamflow with exceedance probabilities above 30.0%. The results of the soil moisture simulation indicate that the influence of the precipitation input on the RE of the simulated soil moisture is insignificant. However, the dynamic variation of soil moisture, simulated by precipitation with higher precision, is more consistent with the measured results. The simulation results at a depth of 0–10 cm are more sensitive to the accuracy of precipitation estimates than that for depths of 0–40 cm. In summary, there are notable advantages of MSWEP and TMPA with respect to hydrological applicability compared with CHIRPS and CMORPH. The MSWEP has a greater potential for basin–scale hydrological modeling than TMPA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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23 pages, 3201 KiB  
Article
Rain Microstructure Parameters Vary with Large-Scale Weather Conditions in Lausanne, Switzerland
by Wael Ghada, Allan Buras, Marvin Lüpke, Christian Schunk and Annette Menzel
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(6), 811; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10060811 - 23 May 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5362
Abstract
Rain properties vary spatially and temporally for several reasons. In particular, rain types (convective and stratiform) affect the rain drop size distribution (DSD). It has also been established that local weather conditions are influenced by large-scale circulations. However, the effect of these circulations [...] Read more.
Rain properties vary spatially and temporally for several reasons. In particular, rain types (convective and stratiform) affect the rain drop size distribution (DSD). It has also been established that local weather conditions are influenced by large-scale circulations. However, the effect of these circulations on rain microstructures has not been sufficiently addressed. Based on DSD measurements from 16 disdrometers located in Lausanne, Switzerland, we present evidence that rain DSD differs among general weather patterns (GWLs). GWLs were successfully linked to significant variations in the rain microstructure characterized by the most important rain properties: rain intensity (R), mass weighted rain drop diameter (Dm), and rain drop concentration (N), as well as Z = ARb parameters. Our results highlight the potential to improve radar-based estimations of rain intensity, which is crucial for several hydrological and environmental applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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13 pages, 5421 KiB  
Article
Decorrelation of Satellite Precipitation Estimates in Space and Time
by Francisco J. Tapiador, Cecilia Marcos, Andres Navarro, Alfonso Jiménez-Alcázar, Raul Moreno Galdón and Julia Sanz
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(5), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10050752 - 14 May 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3524
Abstract
Precise estimates of precipitation are required for many environmental tasks, including water resources management, improvement of numerical model outputs, nowcasting and evaluation of anthropogenic impacts on global climate. Nonetheless, the availability of such estimates is hindered by technical limitations. Rain gauge and ground [...] Read more.
Precise estimates of precipitation are required for many environmental tasks, including water resources management, improvement of numerical model outputs, nowcasting and evaluation of anthropogenic impacts on global climate. Nonetheless, the availability of such estimates is hindered by technical limitations. Rain gauge and ground radar measurements are limited to land, and the retrieval of quantitative precipitation estimates from satellite has several problems including the indirectness of infrared-based geostationary estimates, and the low orbit of those microwave instruments capable of providing a more precise measurement but suffering from poor temporal sampling. To overcome such problems, data fusion methods have been devised to take advantage of synergisms between available data, but these methods also present issues and limitations. Future improvements in satellite technology are likely to follow two strategies. One is to develop geostationary millimeter-submillimeter wave soundings, and the other is to deploy a constellation of improved polar microwave sensors. Here, we compare both strategies using a simulated precipitation field. Our results show that spatial correlation and RMSE would be little affected at the monthly scale in the constellation, but that the precise location of the maximum of precipitation could be compromised; depending on the application, this may be an issue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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17 pages, 2784 KiB  
Article
NWP-Based Adjustment of IMERG Precipitation for Flood-Inducing Complex Terrain Storms: Evaluation over CONUS
by Xinxuan Zhang, Emmanouil N. Anagnostou and Craig S. Schwartz
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(4), 642; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10040642 - 21 Apr 2018
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4752
Abstract
This paper evaluates the use of precipitation forecasts from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model for near-real-time satellite precipitation adjustment based on 81 flood-inducing heavy precipitation events in seven mountainous regions over the conterminous United States. The study is facilitated by the National [...] Read more.
This paper evaluates the use of precipitation forecasts from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model for near-real-time satellite precipitation adjustment based on 81 flood-inducing heavy precipitation events in seven mountainous regions over the conterminous United States. The study is facilitated by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) real-time ensemble forecasts (called model), the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) near-real-time precipitation product (called raw IMERG) and the Stage IV multi-radar/multi-sensor precipitation product (called Stage IV) used as a reference. We evaluated four precipitation datasets (the model forecasts, raw IMERG, gauge-adjusted IMERG and model-adjusted IMERG) through comparisons against Stage IV at six-hourly and event length scales. The raw IMERG product consistently underestimated heavy precipitation in all study regions, while the domain average rainfall magnitudes exhibited by the model were fairly accurate. The model exhibited error in the locations of intense precipitation over inland regions, however, while the IMERG product generally showed correct spatial precipitation patterns. Overall, the model-adjusted IMERG product performed best over inland regions by taking advantage of the more accurate rainfall magnitude from NWP and the spatial distribution from IMERG. In coastal regions, although model-based adjustment effectively improved the performance of the raw IMERG product, the model forecast performed even better. The IMERG product could benefit from gauge-based adjustment, as well, but the improvement from model-based adjustment was consistently more significant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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16 pages, 4254 KiB  
Technical Note
Downscaling of Satellite OPEMW Surface Rain Intensity Data
by Angela Cersosimo, Salvatore Larosa, Filomena Romano, Domenico Cimini, Francesco Di Paola, Donatello Gallucci, Sabrina Gentile, Edoardo Geraldi, Saverio Teodosio Nilo, Elisabetta Ricciardelli, Ermann Ripepi and Mariassunta Viggiano
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(11), 1763; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10111763 - 08 Nov 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3580
Abstract
This paper presents a geostatistical downscaling procedure to improve the spatial resolution of precipitation data. The kriging method with external drift has been applied to surface rain intensity (SRI) data obtained through the Operative Precipitation Estimation at Microwave Frequencies (OPEMW), which is an [...] Read more.
This paper presents a geostatistical downscaling procedure to improve the spatial resolution of precipitation data. The kriging method with external drift has been applied to surface rain intensity (SRI) data obtained through the Operative Precipitation Estimation at Microwave Frequencies (OPEMW), which is an algorithm for rain rate retrieval based on Advanced Microwave Sounding Units (AMSU) and Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS) observations. SRI data have been downscaled from coarse initial resolution of AMSU-B/MHS radiometers to the fine resolution of Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) flying on board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite. Orographic variables, such as slope, aspect and elevation, are used as auxiliary data in kriging with external drift, together with observations from Meteosat Second Generation-Spinning Enhanced Visible and InfraRed Imager (MSG-SEVIRI) in the water vapor band (6.2 µm and 7.3 µm) and in thermal-infrared (10.8 µm and 8.7 µm). The validation is performed against measurements from a network of ground-based rain gauges in Southern Italy. It is shown that the approach provides higher accuracy with respect to ordinary kriging, given a choice of auxiliary variables that depends on precipitation type, here classified as convective or stratiform. Mean values of correlation (0.52), bias (0.91 mm/h) and root mean square error (2.38 mm/h) demonstrate an improvement by +13%, −37%, and −8%, respectively, for estimates derived by kriging with external drift with respect to the ordinary kriging. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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11 pages, 3207 KiB  
Letter
Mesoscale Resolution Radar Data Assimilation Experiments with the Harmonie Model
by Serguei Ivanov, Silas Michaelides and Igor Ruban
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(9), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10091453 - 11 Sep 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3038
Abstract
This study presents a pre-processing approach adopted for the radar reflectivity data assimilation and results of simulations with the Harmonie numerical weather prediction model. The proposed method creates a 3D regular grid in which a horizontal size of meshes coincides with the horizontal [...] Read more.
This study presents a pre-processing approach adopted for the radar reflectivity data assimilation and results of simulations with the Harmonie numerical weather prediction model. The proposed method creates a 3D regular grid in which a horizontal size of meshes coincides with the horizontal model resolution. This minimizes the representative error associated with the discrepancy between resolutions of informational sources. After such preprocessing, horizontal structure functions and their gradients for radar reflectivity maintain the sizes and shapes of precipitation patterns similar to those of the original data. The method shows an improvement of precipitation prediction within the radar location area in both the rain rates and spatial pattern presentation. It redistributes precipitable water with smoothed values over the common domain since the control runs show, among several sub-domains with increased and decreased values, correspondingly. It also reproduces the mesoscale belts and cell patterns of sizes from a few to ten kilometers in precipitation fields. With the assimilation of radar data, the model simulates larger water content in the middle troposphere within the layer from 1 km to 6 km with major variations at 2.5 km to 3 km. It also reproduces the mesoscale belt and cell patterns of precipitation fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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14 pages, 2758 KiB  
Technical Note
How Well Can Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Capture Hurricanes? Case Study: Hurricane Harvey
by Ehsan Omranian, Hatim O. Sharif and Ahmad A. Tavakoly
Remote Sens. 2018, 10(7), 1150; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10071150 - 20 Jul 2018
Cited by 58 | Viewed by 7931
Abstract
Hurricanes and other severe coastal storms have become more frequent and destructive during recent years. Hurricane Harvey, one of the most extreme events in recent history, advanced as a category IV storm and brought devastating rainfall to the Houston, TX, region during 25–29 [...] Read more.
Hurricanes and other severe coastal storms have become more frequent and destructive during recent years. Hurricane Harvey, one of the most extreme events in recent history, advanced as a category IV storm and brought devastating rainfall to the Houston, TX, region during 25–29 August 2017. It inflicted damage of more than $125 billion to the state of Texas infrastructure and caused multiple fatalities in a very short period of time. Rainfall totals from Harvey during the 5-day period were among the highest ever recorded in the United States. Study of this historical devastating event can lead to better preparation and effective reduction of far-reaching consequences of similar events. Precipitation products based on satellites observations can provide valuable information needed to understand the evolution of such devastating storms. In this study, the ability of recent Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Mission (GPM-IMERG) final-run product to capture the magnitudes and spatial (0.1° × 0.1°)/temporal (hourly) patterns of rainfall resulting from hurricane Harvey was evaluated. Hourly gridded rainfall estimates by ground radar (4 × 4 km) were used as a reference dataset. Basic and probabilistic statistical indices of the satellite rainfall products were examined. The results indicated that the performance of IMERG product was satisfactory in detecting the spatial variability of the storm. It reconstructed precipitation with nearly 62% accuracy, although it systematically under-represented rainfall in coastal areas and over-represented rainfall over the high-intensity regions. Moreover, while the correlation between IMERG and radar products was generally high, it decreased significantly at and around the storm core. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Remote Sensing of Precipitation)
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