MC3E

The full suite of S-band profiler datasets from the GPM Ground Validation Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) is now available: GPM Ground Validation NOAA S-Band Profiler Minute Data MC3E     GPM Ground Validation NOAA S-Band Profiler Raw Data SPC format MC3E GPM Ground Validation NOAA S-Band Profiler Raw Data netCDF format MC3EGPM Ground Validation NOAA S-Band Profiler Original Dwell Data MC3E Note that the Raw profiler data is available in two formats. The original SPC format requires specialized commercial software. The netCDF version contains the same data values and is compatible with the other datasets in the collection. The S-band profiler operates at 2.8 GHz, points vertically, and measures the backscattered power from raindrops and ice particles as precipitating cloud systems pass overhead. Operating between the precipitation (full-power) and attenuated (low-power) modes, the profiler alternated between modes collecting either 7 or 9 consecutive precipitation mode profiles separated by 1 attenuated mode profile. Both modes processed radar pulses collected during a 7-second dwell before calculating the Doppler velocity spectra at each radar range gate that were separated by 60-meters in the vertical. The Original Dwell and Minute datasets contain moment, pop spectra and calibrated spectra files. Find all the data from MC3E here. These data sets can also be ordered from the GHRC using the Hydrologic Data search, Retrieval, and Order system (HyDRO) at http://ghrc.nsstc.nasa.gov/hydro/.

GHRC has published the GPM Ground Validation NOAA UHF 449 Profiler Raw Data SPC dataset. Using a phased array antenna configured to only point in the vertical direction, during MC3E the 449 MHz profiler measured the vertical air motion from approximately 200 to 2000 meters above the ground when precipitation passed over the profiler site. The original SPC format requires specialized commercial read software.  The companion GPM Ground Validation NOAA UHF 449 Profiler MC3E dataset, a netCDF version, contains the exact same raw data values. Additionally this dataset has been recently updated to include processed data and available browse.

The GPM Ground Validation NOAA Parsivel MC3E data collected during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) experiment in central Oklahoma contains moment data (reflectivity and rain rate estimates) or raindrop number concentration estimates.  This data provided a reference reflectivity to calibrate the S-band profiler during the experiment. This dataset is available to the public.  The raw data files for this dataset were archived as GPM Ground Validation NOAA Parsivel Raw Data MC3E by request of the Principal Investigator.   Since the processed data is available as the GPM Ground Validation NOAA Parsivel MC3E dataset, the raw data will only be distributed by approval of the Principal Investigator.

GHRC published two radar datasets in support of NASA ER-2 instrumentation data for the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) held in Oklahoma in 2011.  The GPM Ground Validation Pawnee Radar MC3E  is a single polarization (V polarization) Doppler radar and the GPM Ground Validation CHILL Radar MC3E is a dual linear polarization Doppler Radar operated by Colorado State University.  Data from both radars were collected while the NASA ER-2 aircraft conducted a series of four legs along the 090 and 120 degree CHILL azimuths when widespread rain was in progress on May 24, 2011.  The aircraft flew a series of pre-defined ground tracks that coincided with radials from the CSU-CHILL radar. The CSU-Pawnee radar maintained volume coverage of the echo system while the radial flight legs were in progress. During aircraft course reversals at the ends of the radial legs, the CHILL and Pawnee radars started volume scans in synchronization to support dual Doppler wind syntheses. CHILL and Pawnee radar data are available as separate datasets.

GHRC has published the GPM Ground Validation Flight Summaries and Flight Tracks Imagery MC3E dataset which  provides processed summaries from University of North Dakota including sonde maps, a radar animation, parameter versus time charts, radar track graphs, as well as aircraft and instrument operational times for flights during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) held in Oklahoma in 2011. The Flight Tracks imagery includes one animation for May 11, 2011 and five-minute snapshots of flight tracks from the Real Time Mission Monitor (RTMM). This dataset will be distributed with the MC3E ER-2 Navigation and the Citation Navigation datasets, which are also part of the GHRC collection of GPM Ground Validation data from MC3E.

GHRC has completed documentation for the MC3E GPM Ground Validation Chill and Pawnee Radar datasets. These radar were located at the CSU-CHILL location were collected to support the NASA ER-2 instrumentation for the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E), a GPM Ground Validation field campaign.

GHRC has completed documentation for the four GPM Ground Validation NOAA S-Band Profiler datasets and two GPM Ground Validation NOAA UHF 449 Profiler datasets from the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E), a GPM Ground Validation field campaign.

GHRC completed the guide for the GPM Ground Validation Oklahoma Climatological Survey Mesonet MC3E dataset.  The data was collected by a network of weather stations in central Oklahoma during the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) in the April-June 2011 timeframe, and is composed of 15 minute and 5 minute files with one file per site per day in MTS format, the standard format used for mesonet data. Data can be read as ASCII text. Multiple parameters found in this dataset include relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation and calibrated soil moisture.

GHRC has published the guide for the GPM Ground Validation NOAA Surface Meteorological Station MC3E dataset.  The data collected for the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) at the NOAA Southern Great Plains Facility includes wind speed and direction, temperature and humidity, and precipitation. The instruments gathering this data were a propeller wind monitor located 10 meters above the ground, a temperature and humidity sensor at the ground, and a tipping rain gauge at the ground.

GHRC has published 4 satellite simulated orbit datasets for GPM Ground Validation research as part of the Global Precipitation Measurement mission.  The GPM Ground Validation Satellite Simulator Orbits Database datasets are available for several campaigns: Light Precipitation Evaluation Experiment (LPVEX), Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E) , Canadian Cloudsat/Calipso Validation Project (C3VP), and Tropical Warm Pool - International Cloud Experiment (TWP-ICE).  This orbital database takes account for the atmospheric profiles, the cloud/rain profiles, and the detailed surface/terrain information from the Cloud-Resolving Model (CRM) database.  Unique geometry and antenna gain patters of each sensor (GMI imager, GMI sounder, DPR Ku, DPR Ka_MA, DPR Ka_HS) are considered.  The Orbital database consists of satellite orbit parameters, geolocation of IFOV/EFOV and satellite location, and simulated L1B/L2-like parameters in satellite orbital grid.  Orbital data covers a portion of sampling right over the Cloud-resolving model (CRM) domain.  All orbital data format is NetCDF3, and contains dimensions, parameter descriptions, and parameter units. Each project's data is distributed as a separate dataset. MC3E occurred in Oklahoma, USA in 2011; LPVEX took place in Finland in 2010; C3VP experiment was held in Canada in 2007; and TWP-ICE took place in Australia in 2006.