Goddard Space Flight Center

This document provides a basic set of documentation for the data products available from the GPM Ground Validation System (GVS) Validation Network (VN). In the GPM era the VN performs a direct match-up of GPM’s space-based Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data with ground radar data from the U.S. network of NOAA Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D, or “NEXRAD”). Ground radar networks from international partners are also part of the VN.

The IDL procedure geo_match_z_pdf_profile_ppi_bb_prox_sca_ps.pro provides the capability to compute statistics and generate displays of PR and GV reflectivity from geometry-matched data produced by the GPM Validation Network prototype. These data are contained in a set of netCDF data files, one per “rainy” site overpass: a TRMM PR overpass of a ground radar (GV) site, with precipitation echoes present, referred to below as an “event”.

The IDL procedure pr_and_geo_match_x_sections.pro provides the capability to interactively select locations for, and display, vertical cross sections of PR and GV reflectivity from geometry-matched data produced by the GPM Validation Network prototype. These data are contained in a set of netCDF data files, one per “rainy” site overpass (a TRMM PR overpass of a GV radar site, with precipitation echoes present). By default, the procedure also displays a vertical cross section of the difference (PR-GV) between the PR and GV reflectivity from the geo-matched data.

A summary of C3VP data access.

Background and Purpose:
This specification defines the Level 3, system-level functional and performance requirements for NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Ground Validation System Mobile Radar (GVSMR).

Detailed specifications document for the Dual-Frequency, Dual-Polar, Doppler Radar (D3R)

This document provides a basic set of documentation for the data products available from the GPM Ground Validation System (GVS) Validation Network (VN). In the GPM era the VN performs a direct match-up of GPM’s space-based Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) data with ground radar data from the U.S. network of NOAA Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D, or “NEXRAD”). Ground radar networks from international partners are also part of the VN.