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TRMM Ground Validation Rain Gauge Rain Rate L2 1 month V7 (TRMM_2A56) at GES DISC

The program rgmin generates 1-minute hourly rain rates from discrete tipping bucket rain gauge data by applying an interpolation algorithm. The interpolating routine is based on the cubic spline routine published in the book "Numerical Recipes". The mathematical theory underlying this algorithm is presented in section 3.3 of the book along with a copy of the source code. The mathematics involved will not be described in any detail, rather the spline will be described in context with its application to the broader algorithm being applied in rgmin. A key component of the TRMM project is the Ground Validation (GV) effort which consists of collecting data from ground-based radar, rain gauges and disdrometers. The data is quality-controlled, and then validation products are produced for comparison with TRMM satellite products. The four primary GV sites are: + Darwin, Australia; + Houston, Texas; + Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands; + Melbourne, Florida. A significant effort is also being supported at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) and vicinity to provide high quality, long-term measurements of rain rates (via a network of rain gauges collocated with National Weather Service gauges), as well as drop size distributions (DSD) using a variety of instruments, including impact-type Joss Waldvogel, laser-optical Parsivel, as well as two-dimensional video disdrometers. DSD measurements are also being collected at Melbourne and Kwajalein using Joss-Waldvogel disdrometers.

VIIRS/NPP BRDF/Albedo Valid Observation Band M3 Daily L3 Global 30ArcSec CMG V001

The VNP43D44 Version 1 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2025. Users are encouraged to use the [VNP43D44](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP43D44.002) and [VJ143D44](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VJ143D44.002) Version 2 data products.The NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) and Albedo Valid Observation Band M3 product (VNP43D44) is produced daily using 16 days of data at 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution. Data are temporally weighted to the ninth day, which is reflected in the file name. The VNP43D product suite is provided in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG), which covers the entire globe for use in climate simulation models. Due to the large file size, each VNP43D product contains just one data layer for each of the parameters included in the [VNP43MA2](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP43MA2.001) product. VNP43D40 through VNP43D53 are the 30 arc second BRDF/Albedo Quality values, the Local Solar Noon values, the Valid Observations of the moderate resolution bands (M1 through M5, M7, M8, M10, and M11) plus the Day/Night Band (DNB), the Snow Status, and the Uncertainty. Details regarding methodology are available on the [VNP43MA2](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP43MA2.001) product page and in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD). VNP43D44 contains the valid observation quality layer representing each of the 16 days of the retrieval period for VIIRS band M3.Known Issues* The abnormally high activation of the high aerosol flag in the Collection 1 (C1) VNP09 product has impacted downstream products. The VNP43 BRDF/Albedo/NBAR product is affected by reducing the number of otherwise acceptable observations used as input to characterize surface anisotropy. This effect (most obvious over arid bright surfaces), results in a reduced number of high quality full BRDF model inversions. Therefore, users should be aware that bright arid surfaces (normally associated with high quality BRDF/Albedo/NBAR retrievals) are likely to be somewhat represented by lower quality results in C1. VNP09 has been corrected for Collection 2 (C2). Therefore, users should avoid substantive use of C1 VNP43 over arid regions (and wait for C2 products). In any event, users are **always strongly encouraged** to download and use the extensive QA data provided in VNP43[I-M]A2, in addition to the briefer mandatory QA provided as part of the VNP43[I-M]A1, 3 and 4 products.* For complete information about known issues please refer to the [MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website](https://landweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/knownissue?sensor=VIIRS).

GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Weather Station XET C3VP V1

The GPM Ground Validation Environment Canada (EC) Weather Station XET C3VP dataset consists of surface meteorological data collected at the Environment Canada (EC) XET station at the Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments (CARE) during the Canadian CloudSat/CALIPSO Validation Project (C3VP) field campaign. The campaign took place in southern Canada in support of multiple science missions, including the NASA GPM mission, in order to improve the modeling and remote sensing of winter precipitation. The XET C3VP dataset file includes temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, grass temperature, soil temperature, snow depth, sunshine, and precipitation measurements from October 4, 2006 through March 31, 2007 in ASCII-csv format.

RSS SMAP Level 3 Sea Surface Salinity Standard Mapped Image Monthly V5.3 Validated Dataset

The RSS SMAP Level 3 Sea Surface Salinity Standard Mapped Image Monthly V5.3 Validated Dataset produced by the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) and sponsored by the NASA Ocean Salinity Science Team, is a validated product that provides orbital/swath data on sea surface salinity (SSS) derived from the NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. The SMAP satellite was launched on 31 January 2015 with a near-polar orbit at an inclination of 98 degrees and an altitude of 685 km. It has an ascending node time of 6 pm and is sun-synchronous. With its 1000km swath, SMAP achieves global coverage in approximately 3 days, but has an exact orbit repeat cycle of 8 days. Malfunction of the SMAP scatterometer on 7 July, 2015, has necessitated the use of collocated wind speed, primarily from WindSat, for the surface roughness correction required for the surface salinity retrieval. <br><br> The evaluation Version 5.3 is identical to the Version 6.0 validated release with the exception that Version 5.3 uses the Version 5 L1B TA as input. The V6 L1B TA uses a lower TA threshold for RFI exclusion. Until the full back-processing of V6.0 is complete, the evaluation Version 5.3 can and should be used instead. Version 5.3 has been processed from the beginning of the SMAP mission to the end of 2023, and each data file is available in netCDF-4 file format. Observations are global in extent with an approximate spatial resolution of 40KM. Note that while a SSS 40KM variable is also included in the product for most open ocean applications, The standard product of the SMAP Version 5.3 release is the smoothed salinity product with a spatial resolution of approximately 70 km.

TRMM Ground Validation Radar Site Rain Totals Map L3 5 days 2 km V7 (TRMM_3A53) at GES DISC

This is the 5-day accumulation of the 2A53 product, 'Radar Site Rain Map', which originally is an instantaneous surface rain rate map in Cartesian coordinates with a 2 km horizontal resolution. At single radar sites, the map covers an area of 300km x 300km. For the multiple radar site in Texas, the map covers a region of 724 km x 568 km, and in Florida 512 km x 704 km. A key component of the TRMM project is the Ground Validation (GV) effort which consists of collecting data from ground-based radar, rain gauges and disdrometers. The data is quality-controlled, and then validation products are produced for comparison with TRMM satellite products. The four primary GV sites are: + Darwin, Australia; + Houston, Texas; + Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands; + Melbourne, Florida. A significant effort is also being supported at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) and vicinity to provide high quality, long-term measurements of rain rates (via a network of rain gauges collocated with National Weather Service gauges), as well as drop size distributions (DSD) using a variety of instruments, including impact-type Joss Waldvogel, laser-optical Parsivel, as well as two-dimensional video disdrometers. DSD measurements are also being collected at Melbourne and Kwajalein using Joss-Waldvogel disdrometers.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION MICRO RAIN RADAR (MRR) NASA IFLOODS V1

The GPM Ground Validation Micro Rain Radar (MRR) NASA IFloodS dataset was collected by a Micro Rain Radar (MRR), which is a vertically pointing Doppler radar which provided measurements of vertical velocity, drop size distribution, rainfall rate, attenuation, liquid water content, and reflectivity factor during the Iowa Flood Study (IFloodS), which took place in eastern Iowa during the spring of 2013. The goals of the campaign were to collect detailed measurements of precipitation at the Earth's surface using ground instruments and advanced weather radars and, simultaneously, collect data from satellites passing overhead. A total of four MRRs were deployed, each adjacent to a two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD). Each MRR-2DVD site had one or more Autonomous Parsivel2 Unit (APU) with tipping bucket rain gauges either collocated or within 4-8 km away. The dataset covers the period of April 11, 2013 through June 16, 2013, but each MRR deployed may not contain data during the entirety of this period.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION AUTONOMOUS PARSIVEL UNIT (APU) IPHEx V1

The GPM Ground Validation NASA Autonomous Parsivel Unit (APU) IPHEx dataset was acquired by multiple parsivel instruments during the GPM Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx), which took place in western North Carolina. IPHEx sought to characterize warm season orographic precipitation regimes, and the relationship between precipitation regimes and hydrologic processes in regions of complex terrain. The APU, an optical disdrometer based on single particle extinction, measures particle size, and fall velocity. ASCII encoded data files contain information on the drop size distribution and integral precipitation parameters such as precipitation rate, reflectivity, and mass-weighted mean diameter.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION SATELLITE SIMULATED ORBITS MC3E V1

The GPM Ground Validation Satellite Simulated Orbits MC3E dataset is available in the Orbital database , which takes account for the atmospheric profiles, the cloud/rain profiles, and the detailed surface/terrain information from the Cloud-Resolving Model (CRM) database. Unique geometry and antenna gain patterns of each sensor (GMI imager, GMI sounder, DPR Ku, DPR Ka_MA, DPR Ka_HS) are considered. The Orbital database consists of satellite orbit parameters, geolocation of Field of View and satellite location, and simulated Level 1B/Level 2-like parameters in satellite orbital grid. Orbital data covers a portion of sampling right over the Cloud-resolving model (CRM) domain. All orbital data format is NetCDF3, and it contains dimensions, parameter descriptions, and parameter units. Each project's data is distributed as a separate dataset. MC3E occurred in Oklahoma, USA in 2011; LPVEX took place in Finland in 2010; C3VP experiment was held in Canada in 2007 and TWP-ICE took place in Australia in 2006.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION ADVANCED MICROWAVE PRECIPITATION RADIOMETER (AMPR) MC3E V1

The GPM Ground Validation Advanced Microwave Precipitaiton Radiometer (AMPR) MC3E dataset was collected by the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR) instrument, which played a key role in the Midlatitude Continental Convective Clouds Experiment (MC3E). The AMPR remotely sensed passive microwave signatures of geophysical parameters from an airborne platform. The instrument is a low noise system which provided multi-frequency microwave imagery with high spatial and temporal resolution. AMPR data were collected at a combination of four microwave frequencies (10.7, 19.35, 37.1, and 85.5 GHz) with two orientations each (Vpol-to-Hpol and Hpol-to-Vpol), which were complimentary to current aircraft and satellite instrumentation. These frequencies are best suited to the study of rain systems, but were also useful to studies of other atmospheric, oceanic, and land surface processes.

GPM Ground Validation Iowa Flood Center (IFC) Stream Flow IFloodS V1

The GPM Ground Validation Iowa Flood Center (IFC) Stream Flow IFloodS dataset was obtained from the IFC during the Iowa Flood Studies (IFloodS) field campaign that extended from March 31, 2013 through June 30, 2013. The main goal of IFloodS was to evaluate how well the GPM satellite rainfall data can be used for flood forecasting. The IFC monitors stage levels using sensors attached to the side of bridges throughout Iowa. The sensor data are downloaded from the Iowa Flood Information System (IFIS) as support data for the IFloodS campaign. The IFC Stream Flow data were collected in real-time and provide measurements at 15 minute intervals. These IFC Stream Flow IFloodS data are available in XML format.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION MICRO RAIN RADAR (MRR) NASA IPHEX V1

The GPM Ground Validation NASA Micro Rain Radar (MRR) is a vertically pointing Doppler radar which provided measurements of vertical velocity, drop size distribution, rainfall rate, attenuation, liquid water content, and reflectivity factor obtained during the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx), which took place in western North Carolina during the spring of 2014. A total of four MRRs were deployed, some co-located with other instruments and some were moved to different locations during the campaign. The dataset covers the period of April 22, 2014 through June 16, 2014, but each MRR deployed may not contain data during the entirety of this period. Two MRRs remained deployed through October 17, 2014 and data from these are also included in this dataset.

VIIRS/NPP BRDF/Albedo Valid Observation Band M3 Daily L3 Global 30ArcSec CMG V002

The NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (Suomi NPP) Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) and Albedo Valid Observation Band M3 product (VNP43D44) is produced daily using 16 days of data at 30 arc second (1,000 meter) resolution. Data are temporally weighted to the ninth day, which is reflected in the file name. The VNP43D product suite is provided in a Climate Modeling Grid (CMG), which covers the entire globe for use in climate simulation models. Due to the large file size, each VNP43D product contains just one data layer for each of the parameters included in the [VNP43MA2](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP43MA2.002) product. VNP43D40 through VNP43D53 are the 30 arc second BRDF/Albedo Quality values, the Local Solar Noon values, the Valid Observations of the moderate resolution bands (M1 through M5, M7, M8, M10, and M11) plus the Day/Night Band (DNB), the Snow Status, and the Uncertainty. Details regarding methodology are available on the [VNP43MA2](https://doi.org/10.5067/VIIRS/VNP43MA2.002) product page and in the Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document (ATBD).VNP43D44 contains the valid observation quality layer representing each of the 16 days of the retrieval period for VIIRS band M3.Known Issues* For complete information about known issues please refer to the [MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website](https://landweb.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/knownissue).Improvements/Changes from Previous Version* Improved calibration algorithm and better coefficients for entire Suomi NPP mission.* Improved geolocation accuracy and updates to fix outliers around maneuver periods and other events.* Corrections to the aerosol quantity flag (low, average, high) mainly over brighter surfaces in the mid to high latitudes such as desert and tropical vegetation areas. This has an impact on the retrieval of other downstream data products such as VNP13 Vegetation Indices and VNP43 BRDF/Albedo.* Improved cloud mask input product for corrections along coastlines and artifacts from use of coarse resolution climatology data.* Replaced the land/water mask input product with MODIS heritage seven class land/water mask.

GPM Ground Validation Passive Aquatic Listener (PAL)

The GPM Ground Validation Passive Aquatic Listener (PAL) dataset contains underwater hydrophone data at a one-minute time step with a typical 5 km diameter footprint when deployed or drifting at 1 km depth. Areal rain rate and wind speed estimates are mutually exclusive, meaning that time periods that are unambiguously identified as rain are used to estimate rain rate, and wind speed is only estimated in the absence of rain. The data are available in netCDF-4 format and include time, interpolated geolocation data, the rain rate or wind speed estimates for each time, and location pair. PALs are deployed irregularly on Argo ocean profiling floats and moorings, typically as part of field campaigns. As such, the number of PALs collecting data is inconsistent in time and space. The entire dataset covers the period from October 18, 2010, through July 28, 2021.

GPM Ground Validation Optical Disdrometer (ODM) LPVEx

The GPM Ground Validation Optical Disdrometer (ODM) LPVEx dataset consists of precipitation particle size distribution data collected by the Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer (ODM) deployed onboard the RV Aranda research vessel. ODM was specifically designed to measure precipitation on ship-based platforms that experience high and variable winds. ODM’s ability to maintain the optimal orientation with respect to the wind allows it to obtain more accurate precipitation measurements in this type of environment. The ODM data were collected as part of the Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) in September and October of 2010 around the Gulf of Finland. The overarching goals of LPVEx were to detect and understand the process of light rainfall formation at high latitudes and to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation algorithms for current and future satellite platforms. The ODM dataset files are available in ASCII text format from September 15 through September 26, 2010.

GPM GROUND VALIDATION DC-8 CAMERA NADIR GCPEX V1

The GPM Ground Validation DC-8 Camera Nadir GCPEx dataset contains geo-located, visible-wavelength imagery of the ground obtained from the nadir camera aboard the NASA DC-8 in Canada during the Cold-season Precipitation Experiment (GCPEx). GCPEx addressed shortcomings in the GPM snowfall retrieval algorithm by collecting microphysical properties, associated remote sensing observations, and coordinated model simulations of precipitating snow. These data sets were collected to aid in the achievement of the over arching goal of GCPEx which is to characterize the ability of multi-frequency active and passive microwave sensors to detect and estimate falling snow. The data is available only for February 20, 2012, a clear-air flight day. DC-8 Camera nadir data may be useful for determining snow cover and lake ice cover for emissivity studies. The dataset also includes, for convenience and reproducibility, aircraft navigation information and ground temperatures to aid in emissivity retrievals.

TRMM Ground Validation Radar Site Rain Type Map L2 1 hour 2 km V7 (TRMM_2A54UW) at GES DISC

This dataset is part of the University of Washington TRMM Ground Validation products. Instantaneous convective-stratiform cartesian grid based on baseUW. Values are 0 (no echo), 1 (stratiform), and 2 (convective). Min range is 17 km, max range is 150 km. Note that in the netCDF files, "alt" (altitude) is assigned the elevation angle of the lowest sweep (which is used to create baseUW) and "z_spacing" has no meaning. A key component of the TRMM project is the Ground Validation (GV) effort which consists of collecting data from ground-based radar, rain gauges and disdrometers. The data is quality-controlled, and then validation products are produced for comparison with TRMM satellite products. The four primary GV sites are: + Darwin, Australia; + Houston, Texas; + Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands; + Melbourne, Florida. A significant effort is also being supported at NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) and vicinity to provide high quality, long-term measurements of rain rates (via a network of rain gauges collocated with National Weather Service gauges), as well as drop size distributions (DSD) using a variety of instruments, including impact-type Joss Waldvogel, laser-optical Parsivel, as well as two-dimensional video disdrometers. DSD measurements are also being collected at Melbourne and Kwajalein using Joss-Waldvogel disdrometers.

Coastal campaigns for the validation of the OCI water-leaving reflectance data product

Rapid response field campaigns (small boats, small crew) to measure radiometry in the Santa Barbara Channel when sea and sky conditions are optimal for matchups. Process and deliver in situ high quality radiometric data for the validation of the reflectance data product of the PACE OCI instrument.

RSS SMAP Level 3 Sea Surface Salinity Standard Mapped Image 8-Day Running Mean V5.3 Validated Dataset

The RSS SMAP Level 3 Sea Surface Salinity Standard Mapped Image 8-Day Running Mean V5.3 Validated Dataset produced by the Remote Sensing Systems (RSS) and sponsored by the NASA Ocean Salinity Science Team, is a validated product that provides orbital/swath data on sea surface salinity (SSS) derived from the NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. The SMAP satellite was launched on 31 January 2015 with a near-polar orbit at an inclination of 98 degrees and an altitude of 685 km. It has an ascending node time of 6 pm and is sun-synchronous. With its 1000km swath, SMAP achieves global coverage in approximately 3 days, but has an exact orbit repeat cycle of 8 days. Malfunction of the SMAP scatterometer on 7 July, 2015, has necessitated the use of collocated wind speed, primarily from WindSat, for the surface roughness correction required for the surface salinity retrieval. <br><br> The evaluation Version 5.3 is identical to the Version 6.0 validated release with the exception that Version 5.3 uses the Version 5 L1B TA as input. The V6 L1B TA uses a lower TA threshold for RFI exclusion. Until the full back-processing of V6.0 is complete, the evaluation Version 5.3 can and should be used instead. Version 5.3 has been processed from the beginning of the SMAP mission to the end of 2023, and each data file is available in netCDF-4 file format. Observations are global in extent with an approximate spatial resolution of 40KM. Note that while a SSS 40KM variable is also included in the product for most open ocean applications, The standard product of the SMAP Version 5.3 release is the smoothed salinity product with a spatial resolution of approximately 70 km.

GPM Ground Validation Composite Satellite Overpasses OLYMPEX

The GPM Ground Validation Composite Satellite Overpasses OLYMPEX dataset provides brightness temperature, precipitation, and total column water vapor estimates from multiple satellite overpasses including DMSP F16-19, GCOM-W1, GPM, MetOp, NOAA, and NPP for the OLYMPEX field campaign. The OLYMPEX field campaign took place between November, 2015, and January, 2016, with additional ground sampling continuing through February, on the Olympic Peninsula in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. This field campaign provides ground-based validation support of the findings resulting from the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory satellite. Data files are available from November 1, 2015 thru May 1, 2016 in HDF-5 format.

GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Navigation Data OLYMPEX V1

The GPM Ground Validation UND Citation Navigation Data OLYMPEX dataset supplies navigation data collected by the Cessna Citation II aircraft for flights that occurred during November 12, 2015 through December 19, 2015 for the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) GPM Ground Validation field campaign. This navigation dataset consists of multiple altitude, pressure, temperature, airspeed, and ground speed measurements in ASCII format.