Ground data system architecture for precipitation determination from space-based radar

The Tropical Rain Mapping Radar (Tramar) is proposed as an attached payload as part of the Space Station Earth Observing System Program. Tramar would measure rainfall rates, rain velocity, and rain cell areal extent in the latitude band from 30 deg S to 30 deg N for use in studies of large-scale atmospheric circulation, variations of latent heating, tropical hydrologic processes, and mesoscale precipitation systems. The Tramar science requirements, radar design, and ground data system architecture are examined, including the three-dimensional scan geometry, the radar system performance parameters, the production of earth-gridded maps, and the telemetry, sensor, radiometric, and geophysical data that would be obtained by Tramar.