The inherent error in passive microwave rainfall estimation as inferred from the TRMM data

Dong Bin Shin, Long S. Chiu

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Analyses of data collected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) and Precipitation Radar (PR) show that the radiometric responses to rainfall profiles are sensitive to spatial inhomogeneities within the sensor field of view (FOV). The uncertainty, the so-called beam-filling error, Is associated with the variability In horizontal and vertical rainfall structures within a sensor FOV coupled to the non-linear relationship between brightness temperature (Tb) and rain rate (R). This study classifies the beam-filling error as an inherent error because the sensor itself has the non-unique radiometric signatures associated with the rainfall inhomogeneity. The specific forward models hardly overcome the error inherent in the sensor. It is also shown that lower resolution retrievals are less sensitive to the inherent error than the retrievals at higher resolutions due to the less non-linearity in the Tb-R relationship at lower resolutions.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication25th Anniversary IGARSS 2005
Subtitle of host publicationIEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium
Pages91-94
Number of pages4
Publication statusPublished - 2005
Event2005 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2005 - Seoul, Korea, Republic of
Duration: 2005 Jul 252005 Jul 29

Publication series

NameInternational Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS)
Volume1

Other

Other2005 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, IGARSS 2005
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CitySeoul
Period05/7/2505/7/29

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Computer Science Applications
  • General Earth and Planetary Sciences

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