387
16
Instantaneous
Precipitation and Latent
Heating Estimation over
Land from Combined
Spaceborne Radar and
Microwave Radiometer
Observations
Mircea Grecu, William S. Olson,
and Chung-Lin Shie
16.1 INTRODUCTION
Accurate precipitation estimates over land are crucial in hydrologic applications. Despite the existence of dense networks of weather radars in some regions
of the globe, there are still large regions of land that are not covered by groundbased weather radar systems. Although ground-based weather radars, such as Next
Generation Radar (NEXRAD), can facilitate the derivation of such estimates at the
regional scale, in many instances, satellite observations are required for quantitative
precipitation estimation in both terrestrial and oceanic environments. In some occasions, the only areal precipitation estimates in some regions of the world are those
that can be derived from satellite observations.
The existence of various passive microwave instruments onboard research and
operational satellites, along with the upcoming deployment of additional precipitation
CONTENTS
16.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 387
16.2 Brightness Temperature Sensitivity Analysis ............................................... 389
16.3 Combined Radar–Radiometer Algorithm .................................................... 393
16.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 396
References .............................................................................................................. 397
16
Instantaneous
Precipitation and Latent
Heating Estimation over
Land from Combined
Spaceborne Radar and
Microwave Radiometer
Observations
Mircea Grecu, William S. Olson,
and Chung-Lin Shie
16.1 INTRODUCTION
Accurate precipitation estimates over land are crucial in hydrologic applications. Despite the existence of dense networks of weather radars in some regions
of the globe, there are still large regions of land that are not covered by groundbased weather radar systems. Although ground-based weather radars, such as Next
Generation Radar (NEXRAD), can facilitate the derivation of such estimates at the
regional scale, in many instances, satellite observations are required for quantitative
precipitation estimation in both terrestrial and oceanic environments. In some occasions, the only areal precipitation estimates in some regions of the world are those
that can be derived from satellite observations.
The existence of various passive microwave instruments onboard research and
operational satellites, along with the upcoming deployment of additional precipitation
CONTENTS
16.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 387
16.2 Brightness Temperature Sensitivity Analysis ............................................... 389
16.3 Combined Radar–Radiometer Algorithm .................................................... 393
16.4 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 396
References .............................................................................................................. 397