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Profile photo of Hossein Hashemi

Hossein Hashemi

Researcher

Profile photo of Hossein Hashemi

Bias Correction of Long-Term Satellite Monthly Precipitation Product (TRMM 3B43) over the Conterminous United States

Author

  • Hossein Hashemi
  • Matias Nordin
  • Venkat Lakshmi
  • George J. Huffman
  • Rosemary Knight

Summary, in English

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) has provided a valuable precipitation dataset for hydrometeorological studies (1998–2015).However, TMPA shows some differences when compared to the ground-based estimates. In this study, a correction model is developed to improve the accuracy of the TRMM precipitation monthly product by reducing the bias compared to the ground-based estimates. The TRMM 3B43 precipitation product is compared with the Parameter-Elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM) and with gridded precipitation estimates acquired from the CPC Unified Precipitation Project, two ground-based precipitation estimates, in the conterminous United States. The bias between the satellite and ground-based estimates is compared with mean surface temperature and elevation, respectively. A weak linear relationship is observed between the bias and temperature but a moderate inverse linear relationship is observed between the bias and elevation. Based on these observations, a linear model is developed for the TRMM 3B43–PRISM bias and elevation. The developed model is calibrated and validated using Monte Carlo cross validation with 25% of the available data as a calibration set and the remaining 75%of the data as a validation set. The estimated model parameters are then used in a correction formula for the TRMM 3B43 dataset for elevations above 1500m above mean sea level. The corrected TRMM 3B43 product is verified for the high-elevation regions over the entire United States as well as in two high-elevation local regions in the western United States. The results show a significant improvement in the accuracy of the monthly satellite product in the high elevations of the United States.

Department/s

  • MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World
  • Division of Water Resources Engineering
  • LTH Profile Area: Water
  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)

Publishing year

2017-09

Language

English

Pages

2491-2509

Publication/Series

Journal of Hydrometeorology

Volume

18

Issue

9

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

American Meteorological Society

Topic

  • Other Engineering and Technologies
  • Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources

Keywords

  • TRMM TMPA
  • Bias correction
  • PRISM
  • Satellite

Status

Published

Project

  • Development of tools for improved groundwater management using satellite imagery, field data, and hydrological modeling

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1525-7541