Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Potential Utility of the Real-Time TMPA-RT Precipitation Estimates in Streamflow Prediction

Fengge Su Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by Fengge Su in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Huilin Gao Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by Huilin Gao in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
George J. Huffman Science Systems and Applications, Inc., and Laboratory for Atmospheres, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Search for other papers by George J. Huffman in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Dennis P. Lettenmaier Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by Dennis P. Lettenmaier in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Jun 2011
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/2010JHM1353.1
Page(s):
444–455
Restricted access

Abstract

The potential utility of the real-time Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis real-time product 3B42RT (TMPA-RT) data for streamflow prediction, both through direct comparisons of TMPA-RT estimates with a gridded gauge product and through evaluation of streamflow simulations over four tributaries of La Plata basin (LPB) in South America using the two precipitation products, is investigated. Assessments indicate that the relative accuracy and the hydrologic performance of TMPA-RT-based streamflow simulations generally improved after February 2005. The improvements in TMPA-RT since 2005 are closely related to upgrades in the TMPA-RT algorithm in early February 2005, which include use of additional microwave sensors [Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B (AMSU-B)] and implementation of different calibration schemes. This study suggests considerable potential for hydrologic prediction using purely satellite-derived precipitation estimates (no adjustments by in situ gauges) in parts of the globe where in situ observations are sparse.

Corresponding author address: Fengge Su, Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China. E-mail: fgsu@itpcas.ac.cn

Abstract

The potential utility of the real-time Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis real-time product 3B42RT (TMPA-RT) data for streamflow prediction, both through direct comparisons of TMPA-RT estimates with a gridded gauge product and through evaluation of streamflow simulations over four tributaries of La Plata basin (LPB) in South America using the two precipitation products, is investigated. Assessments indicate that the relative accuracy and the hydrologic performance of TMPA-RT-based streamflow simulations generally improved after February 2005. The improvements in TMPA-RT since 2005 are closely related to upgrades in the TMPA-RT algorithm in early February 2005, which include use of additional microwave sensors [Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) and Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B (AMSU-B)] and implementation of different calibration schemes. This study suggests considerable potential for hydrologic prediction using purely satellite-derived precipitation estimates (no adjustments by in situ gauges) in parts of the globe where in situ observations are sparse.

Corresponding author address: Fengge Su, Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China. E-mail: fgsu@itpcas.ac.cn
Save
Cover Journal of Hydrometeorology
Journal of Hydrometeorology

  • Berbery, E. H., and Barros V. R. , 2002: The hydrologic cycle of the La Plata basin in South America. J. Hydrometeor., 3, 630–645.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hong, Y., Hsu K.-L. , Sorooshian S. , and Gao X. , 2004: Precipitation estimation from remotely sensed imagery using an artificial neural network cloud classification system. J. Appl. Meteor., 43, 1834–1853.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hong, Y., Hsu K.-L. , Moradkhani H. , and Sorooshian S. , 2006: Uncertainty quantification of satellite precipitation estimation and Monte Carlo assessment of the error propagation into hydrologic response. Water Resour. Res., 42, W08421, doi:10.1029/2005WR004398.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hong, Y., Adler R. F. , Hossain F. , Curtis S. , and Huffman G. J. , 2007: A first approach to global runoff simulation using satellite rainfall estimation. Water Resour. Res., 43, W08502, doi:10.1029/2006WR005739.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hossain, F., and Anagnostou E. N. , 2004: Assessment of current passive-microwave- and infrared-based satellite rainfall remote sensing for flood prediction. J. Geophys. Res., 109, D07102, doi:10.1029/2003JD003986.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hossain, F., and Lettenmaier D. P. , 2006: Flood prediction in the future: Recognizing hydrologic issues in anticipation of the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. Water Resour. Res., 42, W11301, doi:10.1029/2006WR005202.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Hossain, F., Katiya N. , Wolf A. , and Hong Y. , 2007: The emerging role of satellite rainfall data in improving the hydro-political situation of flood monitoring in the under-developed regions of the world. Nat. Hazards, 43, 199–210, doi:10.1007/s11069-006-9094-x.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Huffman, G. J., and Coauthors, 2007: The TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA): Quasi-global, multiyear, combined-sensor precipitation estimates at fine scales. J. Hydrometeor., 8, 38–55.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Huffman, G. J., Adler R. F. , Bolvin D. T. , and Nelkin E. J. , 2010: The TRMM Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA). Satellite Rainfall Applications for Surface Hydrology, M. Gebremichael and F. Hossain, Eds., Springer, 3–22.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Joyce, R. J., Janowiak J. E. , Arkin P. A. , and Xie P. , 2004: CMORPH: A method that produces global precipitation estimates from passive microwave and infrared data at high spatial and temporal resolution. J. Hydrometeor., 5, 487–503.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kidd, C., Kniveton D. R. , Todd M. C. , and Bellerby T. J. , 2003: Satellite rainfall estimation using combined passive microwave and infrared algorithms. J. Hydrometeor., 4, 1088–1104.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Kubota, T., and Coauthors, 2007: Global precipitation map using satellite-borne microwave radiometers by the GSMaP Project: Production and validation. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 45, 2259–2275.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Liebmann, B., and Allured D. , 2005: Daily precipitation grids for South America. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 86, 1567–1570.

  • McCollum, J. R., Krajewski W. F. , Ferraro R. R. , and Ba M. B. , 2002: Evaluation of biases of satellite estimation algorithms over the continental United States. J. Appl. Meteor., 41, 1065–1080.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Nijssen, B., and Lettenmaier D. P. , 2004: Effect of precipitation sampling error on simulated hydrological fluxes and states: Anticipating the Global Precipitation Measurement satellites. J. Geophys. Res., 109, D02103, doi:10.1029/2003JD003497.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Scofield, R. A., and Kuligowski R. J. , 2003: Status and outlook of operational satellite precipitation algorithms for extreme-precipitation events. Wea. Forecasting, 18, 1037–1051.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Smith, E., and Coauthors, 2007: The International Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) program and mission: An overview. Measuring Precipitation from Space: EURAINSAT and the Future, V. Levizzani and F. J. Turk, Eds., Advances in Global Change Research Series, Vol. 28, Springer, 611–653.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Sorooshian, S., Hsu K.-L. , Gao X. , Gupta H. V. , Imam B. , and Braithwaite D. , 2000: Evaluation of PERSIANN system satellite-based estimates of tropical rainfall. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 81, 2035–2046.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Steiner, M., Bell T. L. , Zhang Y. , and Wood E. F. , 2003: Comparison of two methods for estimating the sampling-related uncertainty of satellite rainfall averages based on a large radar dataset. J. Climate, 16, 3759–3778.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Su, F., and Lettenmaier D. P. , 2009: Estimation of surface water budget of La Plata basin. J. Hydrometeor., 10, 981–998.

  • Su, F., Yang H. , and Lettenmaier D. P. , 2008: Evaluation of TRMM Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) and its utility in hydrologic prediction in the La Plata basin. J. Hydrometeor., 9, 622–640.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Tian, Y. D., and Peters-Lidard C. D. , 2007: Systematic anomalies over inland water bodies in satellite-based precipitation estimates. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L14403, doi:10.1029/2007GL030787.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Turk, F. J., and Miller S. D. , 2005: Toward improving estimates of remotely-sensed precipitation with MODIS/AMSR-E blended data techniques. IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens., 43, 1059–1069.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation

  • Wilks, D. S., 1995: Statistical Methods in the Atmospheric Sciences: An Introduction. International Geophysics Series, Vol. 59, Academic Press, 467 pp.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 1017 666 12
PDF Downloads 231 63 5