The impact of assimilating satellite-derived precipitation rates on numerical simulations of the ERICA IOP 4 cyclone

Abstract

The unique methodology developed herein to synthesize the SSM/I and GOES IR satellite data produces precipitation estimates that have realistic spatial and temporal structure. The assimilation of satellite-derived precipitation is accomplished by scaling the internally generated model profiles of total latent heating. At points where the model is not producing precipitation, the vertical distribution of total latent heating given by satellite precipitation is specified from instantaneous model-based profiles at adjacent points using a search algorithm. The technique does not assume a priori that the satellite-estimated precipitation corresponds to either convective or stratiform model precipitation, and uses heating profiles that are consistent with the model's parameterization of either type of precipitation since they are not specified from externally based parabolic or other structure functions. -from Authors