TRMM-based Merged Data Products Compared to Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) Analyses

This paper describes recent results of using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) (launched in November 1997) information as the key calibration tool; in a merged analysis on a 1 degree x l degree latitude/longitude monthly scale based on multiple satellite sources and raingauge analyses. The TRMM-based product will be compared with the community-based Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) results. The long-term GPCP analysis is compared to the new TRMM-based analysis which uses the most accurate TRMM information to calibrate the estimates from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and geosynchronous IR observations and merges those estimates together with the TRMM and gauge information to produce accurate rainfall estimates with the increased sampling provided by the combined satellite information. The comparison with TRMM results on a month-to-month basis should clarify the strengths and weaknesses of the long-term GPCP product in the tropics and point to how to improve the monitoring analysis. Preliminary results from the TRMM merged satellite analysis indicates close agreement with the GPCP estimates. By the time of the meeting over a year of TRMM products will be available for comparison. Global tropical and regional values will be compared. Seasonal variations, and variations associated with the 1998 El Nino/Southern Oscillation ENSO event will be examined and compared between the two analyses. These variations will be examined carefully and validated where possible from surface-based radar and gauge observations. The role of TRMM observations in the refinement of the long-term monitoring product will be outlined.