GCPEx

GPM Ground Validation Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU) GCPEx guide provides data format information for the Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU), an optical disdrometer based on single particle extinction that measures particle size and fall velocity. This APU consists of the Parsivel, which was developed by OTT in Germany, and its support systems, which were designed and built by the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The APU dataset for the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) provides precipitation data including raindrop size and counts, precipitation drop size, rate and amount and snowflake size, counts and distribution. The GCPEx APU data was collected from several sites in Canada during the Winter 2011-2012 period.

GHRC published the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Wind Profiler GCPEx dataset, which provides post-processed consensus winds and daily quick look plots from the Vaisala Wind Profiler LAP 3000.  The daily plots depict wind information from the profiler and from Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model data.  The LAP 3000 is a pulsed Doppler radar that operates in clean air, reporting data from the atmosphere 3 kilometers or more above ground level.    The wind profiler data was collected January 15, 2012 through March 1, 2012 for the  GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) at Environment Canada’s Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) in Ontario, Canada.

GHRC has completed guide documentation for several previously published datasets from GPM Ground Validation campaigns.  These datasets are: GPM Ground Validation Composite Satellite Overpasses GCPEx and GPM Ground Validation Composite Satellite Overpasses MC3E.  These composite satellite overpass datasets contain radiometric data from satellites the campaign study area (SSMIS for GCPEx and AQUA for MC3E) matched with other datasets to carry out land surface emissivity studies.  The other datasets included the NEXRAD NMQ radar mosaic, the NOAA IMS and the NASA/GMAO MERRA.  The NEXRAD NMQ radar mosaic provided knowledge of rain structure and intensity at the time of the overpass, as well as the previous accumulated precipitation prior to the satellite overpass time.  The NOAA IMS provided a snow mapping system to identify surface snow or ice cover.  The NASA/GMAO MERRA  provided data for land and atmospheric reanalysis for background land and atmospheric state needed for microwave radiative transfer calculations. The identified SSMIS and AQUA satellites overpasses passed within 700-km of the central field site.  GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) took place in Ontario, Canada, January 15, 2012 through February 29, 2012 and the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) took place in central Oklahoma April 22 - June 5, 2011.  GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Micro Rain Radar (MRR) GCPEx.  The MRR is a vertically pointing Doppler radar perating at 24 GHz which retrieved quantitative rain rates, drop size distributions, radar reflectivity, and fall velocities on vertical profiles up to several kilometers above the unit during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in Ontario, Canada, winter 2012. The MRR used during GCPEX is the second generation of the instrument manufactured by METEK (URL: http://www.metek.de/product-details/mrr-2.html). GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Visibility Sensor FD12P and Present Weather Detector GCPEx. Data was collected January 15 through March 1, 2012 in Huronia, Canada for the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx). The FD12P combines the functions of a forward scatter visibility meter and a present weather detector and specifies visibility in one and ten minute averages. Weather conditions are specified using codes by National Weather System and the World Meteorological Organization. The dataset also measures the intensity and the amount of both liquid and solid precipitation. GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Web Camera Images GCPEx.  Data was collected by fixed outdoor cameras at five sites in Ontario, Canada during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in winter 2012.  The AXIS P1343-E network camera has day/night functionality with an automatically controlled IR filter, adapting to both daylight and dark lighting conditions. These images provide visual records of the weather conditions at the site throughout the day.

GHRC has published two new datasets from the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx), which took place in Ontario, Canada, January 15, 2012 through February 29, 2012. The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Radiometer GCPEx dataset contains retrievals of temperature, water vapor, relative humidity, liquid water profiles and surface parameters acquired by a passive microwave radiometer.   Data plots are available in the browse files. The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Passive Microwave Radiometer and Soil Moisture-Temperature Data GCPEx dataset includes microwave brightness temperatures, snow and soil/snow-air interface (ground surface temperatures), soil surface temperatures, and soil volumetric water content.   These data were acquired by a multiple instruments:  a passive microwave radiometer, a water content reflectometer, thermistors, soil moisture probe. GHRC also published the user guide document for the GPM Ground Validation Meteorological Tower Environment Canada GCPEx dataset.  This dataset provides temperature, relative humidity, 10m winds, pressure and solar radiation data collected by a suite of standard meteorological instruments attached to a 10m met tower. Browse images are available on-line. The observation station was assembled by Automated Transportable Meteorological Observation Station (ATMOS).

GHRC completed the guide for the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Wind Profiler GCPEx dataset. This dataset provides post-processed consensus winds and daily quick look plots from the Vaisala Wind Profiler LAP 3000. The daily plots depict wind information from the profiler and from the GEM model data. The Wind profiler data was collected January 15, 2012 through March 1, 2012 for the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) at the CARE site in Ontario, Canada.

GHRC published the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Radiosonde GCPEx dataset.  Measurements of  pressure, temperature, humidity, and winds were collected by Vaisala RS92 Radiosondes during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) at Environment Canada’s Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) in Ontario, Canada, 17  January through 29 February 2012.

GHRC published the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System (POSS) GCPEx guide. The POSS is a bi-static X-band Doppler radar designed by Environment Canada which measures a signal whose frequency is proportional to the particle Doppler velocity and whose amplitude is proportional to the particle scattering cross-section. Its measurements can be used to provide information regarding precipitation occurrence, type, rate, and raindrop size distribution.

GHRC published the guide for the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Passive Microwave Radiometer and Soil Moisture-Temperature Data GCPEx dataset. The data includes microwave brightness temperatures, snow and soil/snow-air interface (ground surface temperatures), soil surface temperatures, and soil volumetric water content acquired by multiple instruments – a passive microwave radiometer, a water content reflectometer, thermistors, and a soil moisture probe – during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) at Environment Canada’s Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) in Ontario, Canada during the winter season 2011-2012

GHRC published the GPM Ground Validation Total Precipitation Sensor (HotPlate) GCPEx dataset which provides a measure of the liquid precipitation rate and accumulation for snow. Additional data includes measurements of temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, pressure, solar and infrared radiation flux. These were gathered during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) at Environment Canada’s Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) and SkyDive sites in Ontario, Canada during November 2011- February 2012.

GHRC published the guide document for the GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Vaisala Ceilometer GCPEx dataset. The ceilometer data was collected during the GPM Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx) in Huronia, Canada from January 15, 2012 through March 1, 2012. The CT25K ceilometer uses pulsed diode laser LIDAR technology to derive backscatter profiles, cloud heights and vertical visibilities. It is also able to detect three cloud layers simultaneously.