GPM GROUND VALIDATION NOAA S-BAND PROFILER RAW DATA NETCDF FORMAT MC3E V1

The overarching goal was to provide the most complete characterization of convective cloud systems, precipitation, and the environment that has ever been obtained, providing constraints for model cumulus parameterizations and space-based rainfall retrieval algorithms over land that had never before been available.

The S-band 2.8 GHz profiler points vertically and measures the backscattered power from raindrops and ice particles as precipitating cloud systems pass overhead. The profiler processes radar pulses during a 7-second dwell before calculating and saving uncalibrated Doppler velocity spectra at each range gate that were separated by 60-meters vertically. Data collected during each hour are saved in two files.