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TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) Gridded Rainfall Product (TRMM Product 3A25)

Entry ID: GES_DISC_TRMM_PR_3A25_V6

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Summary

Abstract: The primary objective of algorithm 3A25 is to compute various rainfall statistics over a month from the level 2 PR products. The statistics are derived at two spatial resolutions: (1) a standard space scale of 5 degrees by 5 degrees (latitude x longitude) cells and (2) a high resolution subset of 0.5 degree x 0.5 degree cells.

The output variables include rainfall rate (mm/hour) profile at 2, 4, ... 6, 10, and 15 km, fractional rain, snow ice layer, and surface rain rate (mm/hour). The output statistics include probabilities of occurrence, means and standard deviations, histograms, and correlation coefficients.

All statistics in 3A-25, except near-surface rain rate, are computed only when rain is judged in 1C-21 to be "certain." When rain is judged in 1C-21 to be "possible," the observation is treated as a "no-rain" observation. For the near-surface rain rate, the statistics (mean, standard deviation, and histogram) are computed for "rain-possible" as for the usual "rain-certain." Because the "rain-possible" cases are dominated by noise so that the probability of false-alarm is high, the "rain-certain" statistics should be considered as more representative of the TRMM radar data.

Three types of rain rates are defined in 3A-25: (1) a "near-surface" rain rate that is obtained from the range bin closest to the surface which is not corrupted by the surface clutter, (2) a path-averaged rain rate calculated by summing the values from the storm top (first gate where rain is detected) to the last gate (gate nearest to the surface uncontaminated by surface clutter) and dividing by the number of gates in the interval, and (3) those at fixed heights above the ellipsoid (2, 4, 6, 10, and 15 km).

Spatial coverage is between 40 degrees North and 40 degrees South, owing to the 35 degree inclination of the TRMM satellite.

The data are stored in the Hierarchical Data Format (HDF). The low resolution grids are in the Planetary Grid 1 structure, and the high resolution grids are in the Planetary Grid 2 structure. The file size (one file per month) is about 16 MB (uncompressed). The description of file component objects can be obtained from Volume 4 - Levels 2 and 3 File Specifications provided by the TRMM Science Data and Information System (TSDIS): http://pps.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

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 TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR), the first of its kind in space, is an electronically scanning radar, operating at 13.8 GHz that measures the 3-D rainfall distribution over both land and ocean, and defines the layer depth of the precipitation.

Description: OPeNDAP Earth Science Data TRMM 3A25.

Link: GET DATA > MIRADOR

Description: The Mirador Earth Science Data Search Tool includes TRMM 3A25, TRMM
Precipitation Radar (PR) Gridded Rainfall Product Mirador features include
location and event gazetteers.

Link: VIEW RELATED INFORMATION

Description: Information and data access for all of the Goddard DAAC's hydrology data holdings, including TRMM data from the TMI, Precipitation Radar (PR) and Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) instruments, the Ground Validation (GV) radar data, and ancillary and correlative data products.

Multimedia Sample

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Caption: 3A25 monthly accumulated 2 KM rainfall

Geographic Coverage

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Spatial coordinates

N: 40.0

S: -40.0

E: 180.0

W: -180.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: NASA, JAXA, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)

Dataset Title: TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) Gridded Rainfall Product (TRMM Product 3A25)

Version: 6

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

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1997-12-01

Location Keywords

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > TROPICS

Data Resolution

Latitude Resolution: 0.5 degree
Longitude Resolution: 0.5 degree
Horizontal Resolution Range: 500 km - < 1000 km or approximately 5 degrees - < 10 degrees
Temporal Resolution: Monthly
Temporal Resolution Range: Monthly - < Annual

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > PRECIPITATION > PRECIPITATION RATE

ISO Topic Category

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

Platform

TRMM > Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

Instrument

PR > TRMM Precipitation Radar

Project

EOS > Earth Observing System

EOSDIS > Earth Observing System Data Information System

Quality Missing data scans are checked by monitoring the Scan Status contained in the TRMM 1C-21 product. Scan Status is a Table structure containing entries on a scan-by-scan basis. These entries include a geolocation flag and a data quality flag, indicating the percentage of pixels along each scan with values within a pre-defined range. If Scan Status indicates a missing scan, then no processing is done for that scan for the 3A25 product. However, checks for individual missing variables are not done explicitly.

Access Constraints None

Ancillary Keywords

EOSDIS

Data Set Progress

IN WORK

Originating Center

GSFC_DAAC

Data Center

Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (formerly Goddard DAAC), Global Change Data Center, Earth Sciences Division, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA

Data Center URL: http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/

Data Center Personnel
Name: GES DISC HELP DESK SUPPORT GROUP Phone: 301-614-5224 Fax: 301-614-5268 Email: gsfc-help-disc at lists.nasa.gov Contact Address: Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center Code 610.2 NASA Goddard Space Flight Center City: Greenbelt Province or State: MD Postal Code: 20771 Country: USA

Distribution

Distribution Media: FTP

Distribution Size: Average file size: 37874 kb

Distribution Format: HDF

Fees: None

Personnel

HYDROLOGY DATA SUPPORT TEAM

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Phone: (301) 614-5165

Fax: (301) 614-5268

Email: gsfc-help-disc at lists.nasa.gov

Contact Address:

Hydrology Data Support Team, Code 610.2

Goddard Space Flight Center

City: Greenbelt

Province or State: MD

Postal Code: 20771

Country: USA

ROBERT MENEGHINI

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Phone: (301) 614-5652

Fax: (301) 614-5558

Email: robert.meneghini-1 at nasa.gov

Contact Address:

Mailstop 614.6

Goddard Space Flight Center

City: Greenbelt

Province or State: MD

Postal Code: 20771

Country: USA

Publications/References

Meneghini, R., 1998, J. Appl. Meteor., 37, 924-938.

Meneghini, R., and J. Jones, 1993, J. Appl. Meteor., 32, 386-398.

Interface Control Specification Between the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Science Data and Information System (TSDIS) and the TSDIS Science User (TSU). Volume 4: File Specifications for TSDIS Products-Level 2 and Level 3. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, March 5, 1999.

Extended Metadata Properties

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Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 1999-06-25

Last DIF Revision Date: 2011-12-22

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