The inference of GATE convective rainfall from SMS-1 imagery

Abstract

Quantitative precipitation estimates have been made for the GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment (GATE) from geosynchronous, infrared satellite imagery and a computer-automated technique that is described in this paper. Volumetric rain estimates were made for the GATE A scale (1.43 x 107 km2) and for a 3o square (1.10 x 105 km2) that enclosed the B scale for time frames ranging from all of GATE (27 June-20 September 1974) down to 6 h segments. The estimates for the square are compared with independent rain measurements made by four C-band digital radars that were complemented by shipboard raingages. The A-scale estimates are compared to rainfall estimates generated by NASA using Nimbus 5 microwave imagery. - from Authors