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TRMM and Other Sources Rainfall Product (TRMM Product 3B43)

Entry ID: GES_DISC_TRMM_3B43_V7

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Summary

Abstract: The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is a joint U.S.-Japan satellite mission to monitor tropical and subtropical precipitation and to estimate its associated latent heating. TRMM was successfully launched on November 27, at 4:27 PM (EST) from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

The rainfall measuring instruments on the TRMM satellite include the Precipitation Radar (PR), an ... electronically scanning radar operating at 13.8 GHz; TRMM Microwave Image (TMI), a nine-channel passive microwave radiometer; and Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS), a five-channel visible/infrared radiometer.

The purpose of 3B43 algorithm is to produce the best-estimate precipitation rate (in mm/hr) and root-mean-square (RMS) precipitation-error estimates from TRMM and other data sources. The algorithm combines multiple independent precipitation estimates from the TMI, Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing Systems (AMSR-E), Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSMI), Special Sensor Microwave Imager/Sounder (SSMIS), Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS), microwave-adjusted merged geo-infrared (IR), and monthly accumulated Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) rain gauge analysis. All input microwave data are intercalibrated to TRMM Combined Instrument (TCI) precipitation estimates (TRMM product 3B31); the iIR estimates are computed using monthly matched microwave-IR histogram matching; then missing data in individual 3-hourly merged-microwave fields are filled with the IR estimates. After the preprocessing is complete, the 3-hourly multi-satellite fields are summed for the month and combined with the monthly gauge analysis using inverse-error-variance weighting to form the best-estimate precipitation rate and RMS precipitation-error estimates. These gridded estimates have a calendar month temporal resolution and a 0.25-degree by 0.25-degree spatial resolution. Spatial coverage extends from 50 degrees south to 50 degrees north latitude.

The data are stored in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF), which includes both core and product specific metadata. The file size is about 5 MB.

Important Changes: After the initial Version 7 processing, it was discovered that AMSU data were neglected in the first retrospective processing of both the Version 7 TMPA (3B42/43) and TMPA-RT (3B40/41/42RT) data series, which created an important shortcoming in the inventory of microwave precipitation estimates used during 2000-2010. In addition, a coding error in the TMPA-RT replaced the occasional missings in product 3B42RT with zeros. Accordingly, both product series were retrospectively processed again. The main impact in both series was to improve the fine-scale patterns of precipitation during 2000-2010 (and for 3B4xRT into late 2012). Averages over progressively larger time/space scales should be progressively less affected. [This is the reason the lack of AMSU went undiscovered; the merger system copes very reasonably with missing data.] Nonetheless, users are urged to switch to the newest Version 7 data sets. The newest runs may be identified by the file names: V.7 3B42/43 suffix of "7A.HDF" for January 2000 - September 2010; V.7 3B4xRT suffix of "7R2.bin" for 1 March 2000 - 6 November 2012. It continues to be the case that the Version 7 3B42/43 is some 4% higher than the calibrating data set (2B31) over oceans, which is still under study. However, the initial conclusion is that it results from the sampling mismatch between the (very sparse) TCI and the (much denser) microwave constellation. At the large scales this offset seems to be nearly a proportional constant.

TRMM Product FAQ: http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/additional/faq/precipitation_faq.shtml

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Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Data access URL for TRMM product 3B43

Multimedia Sample

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Caption: 3B43 TRMM and others combined surface rainfall, 2005/10/01-2005/11/01

Description: Sample image of the TRMM 3B43 and others combined surface rainfall

Geographic Coverage

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Spatial coordinates

N: 50.0

S: -50.0

E: 180.0

W: -180.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Project (TRMM)

Dataset Title: TRMM and Other Sources Rainfall Product (TRMM Product 3B43)

Version: 7

Online Resource: http://mirador.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/mirador/presentNavigation.pl?t...

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1987-08-01

Stop Date: 1988-12-31

Location Keywords

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > GLOBAL

Data Resolution

Temporal Resolution: Daily

Science Keywords

BIOSPHERE > VEGETATION > VEGETATION COVER

CRYOSPHERE > SNOW/ICE > SNOW COVER

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

ENVIRONMENT

Platform

DMSP 5D-2/F8 > Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-F8

Instrument

SSMI > Special Sensor Microwave/Imager

Project

EOSDIS > Earth Observing System Data Information System

ESIP > Earth Science Information Partners Program

NOAA/NASA PATHFINDER > NOAA/NASA Pathfinder Program

Ancillary Keywords

Antenna Temperature

Brightness Temperature

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

NSIDC Distributed Active Archive Center

Data Center URL: http://nsidc.org/daac/index.html
Dataset ID: SI-079

Data Center Personnel
Name: NSIDC USER SERVICES Phone: +1 (303) 492-6199 Fax: +1 (303) 492-2468 Email: nsidc at nsidc.org Contact Address: National Snow and Ice Data Center CIRES, 449 UCB University of Colorado City: Boulder Province or State: CO Postal Code: 80309-0449 Country: USA

National Snow and Ice Data Center

Data Center URL: http://nsidc.org
Dataset ID: NSIDC-0042

Data Center Personnel
Name: NSIDC USER SERVICES Phone: +1 (303) 492-6199 Fax: +1 (303) 492-2468 Email: nsidc at nsidc.org Contact Address: National Snow and Ice Data Center CIRES, 449 UCB University of Colorado City: Boulder Province or State: CO Postal Code: 80309-0449 Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution Media: Online Internet (HTTP)

Distribution Size: 0.5 MB

Distribution Format: CSV

Fees: 0

Personnel

SEDAC USER SERVICES

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: +1 845-365-8920

Fax: +1 845-365-8922

Email: ciesin.info at ciesin.columbia.edu

Contact Address:

61 Route 9W, P.O. Box 1000

City: Palisades

Province or State: NY

Postal Code: 10964

Country: USA

CIESIN METADATA ADMINISTRATION

Role: DIF AUTHOR

Phone: +1 845-365-8988

Fax: +1 845-365-8922

Email: metadata at ciesin.columbia.edu

Contact Address:

61 Route 9W, P.O. Box 1000

City: Palisades

Province or State: New York

Postal Code: 10964

Country: USA

Publications/References

Global Footprint Network (GFN) (2006), Compendium of Environmental Sustainability Indicator Collections: 2006 National Footprint Accounts, Global Footprint Network (GFN), Oakland, CA, http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/cesic-national-footprint-...

Extended Metadata Properties

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Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2007-11-16

Last DIF Revision Date: 2013-02-11

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