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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

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: 60.0

S: -60.0

E: 180.0

W: -180.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: Carton, J., Giese, B., Chepurin, G., Cao, X.

Dataset Title: Analysis of Global Ocean Assimilation

Dataset Series Name: Analysis of Global Ocean Assimilation

Dataset Release Date: 1996

Dataset Release Place: College Park, MD

Dataset Publisher: University of Maryland

Version: Version 2.0

Online Resource: http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~carton/

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1950-01-01

Stop Date: 1998-12-31

Location Keywords

OCEAN > ARCTIC OCEAN

OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN

Data Resolution

Latitude Resolution: varies
Longitude Resolution: 2 degrees
Temporal Resolution: monthly

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WINDS > SURFACE WINDS

ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC WINDS > WIND STRESS

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

ENVIRONMENT

GEOSCIENTIFIC INFORMATION

INLAND WATERS

Project

ESIP > Earth Science Information Partners Program

Use Constraints System Requirements

Minimum:

* Windows 98, 2000, NT, or XP
* 512 MB RAM
* 100 MB free disk space

Recommended:

* Pentium PC, 2.0GHz or higher (or equivalent)
* Windows 2000, XP, or Vista
* 2 GB RAM
* 1 GB free disk space

Service Provider

EPA/OW/WS/WQT/WQM > Models, Water Quality Tools, Water Science, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Service Organization URL: http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/wqm/

Service Provider Personnel
Name: U.S. EPA OFFICE OF WATER SCIENCE Email: Ost.Comments at epa.gov Contact Address: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Office of Science and Technology (4301T) 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. City: Washington Province or State: DC Postal Code: 20460 Country: USA