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Preface
TRMM was successfully launched in November 1997. TRMM has a unique rain package which consists of a rain radar (PR), a microwave radiometer and a visible/infrared radiometer. The rain radar is the first spaceborne radar and was developed in Japan. A field campaign experiment for validation of TRMM, especially for the PR, was planned and conducted in 1998. The instruments are: Communications Research Laboratory's (CRL's) airborne rain radar with the same frequency of TRMM PR and ground-based radars operated by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The field was around Ishigakijima and Miyakojima Islands in the South-western island chain in Japan. There, we have an C-band radar located in Ishigakijima Island. The radar has a very good skyline over ocean and was thought to be ideal of rain observation over ocean. An enhanced radiosonde observation was also included. Simultaneous rain observation using the airborne radar, ground-based radar and PR was the main work. Though we had a good comparison in the rain patterns among radars, the result was not so conclusive as expected. The main reason is the performance of PR is much better than expected, and the accuracy of the validation is not enough to determine the accuracy of PR.
This report is on the field campaign in 1998. Though the result are still unsatisfactory, it might be good to report the activity of the field experiment and current results. We welcome any comments for this report.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the participants and agencies/bodies for the field experiment. JMA performed the enhance radiosonde observation, ground-based and shipborne radars observation. JMA also allowed us to use facilities in the Miyakojima Meteorological Observatory. Remote Sensing Technology Center (RESTEC) helped in logistics and also data analysis. Nakanihon Air Service, Co. Ltd., successfully operated observation flight using Beechcraft King Air aircraft with an airborne radar. Communications Research Laboratory group led by Dr. T. Kozu operated the airborne radar.
TRMM validation project scientist Kenji Nakamura
Contents
1. Outline of the Ishigaki/Miyako Campaign Experiment for TRMM (IMCET)
1 1.1 Outline of IMCET
1 1.2 Experimental Field and Instruments 12.1 Sea-surface measurement by CAMPR-D 7
2.2 Comparison of CAMPR-D and ground-based radars 83. Comparison of the PR with CAMPR-D 14
3.1 Outline of CAMPR-D observation flights 14
3.2 Comparison of vertical cross-section 15
3.3 Comparison of horizontal cross-section 154. Comparison of the PR with Ground-based Radar 20
4.1 Simultaneous observations by the PR and ground-based radars 20
4.2 Comparison results between the PR and ground-based radar 206. Other data observed in IMCET'98 39
6.1 Comparison of the PR with Ishigakijima and Okinawa radar 39
6.2 Comparison of the PR with Keifumaru radar 45
6.3 Microwave radiometer observation 47
6.4 Surface observation 48
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