1. Diurnal Cycle of IMERG V06 Precipitation.
- Author
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Tan, Jackson, Huffman, George J., Bolvin, David T., and Nelkin, Eric J.
- Subjects
CIRCADIAN rhythms ,PRECIPITATION variability ,METEOROLOGICAL precipitation ,GLOBAL analysis (Mathematics) ,RAINFALL - Abstract
This study demonstrates the maturing ability of the half‐hourly precipitation estimates from the Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) for use in global analyses of the diurnal cycle. The refined intercalibration and interpolation between the sensors in V06 leads to greater consistency in the precipitation retrievals over different hours of the day. Evaluation against ground measurements suggests a slight lag in the diurnal phase of only +0.59 hr. We demonstrate the diurnal cycle over different regions around the globe, including the Maritime Continent, where accurate representation of precipitation variability in global models remains a challenge. Using examples over Singapore, Bangladesh, and Lake Victoria, we reveal the intricate interplay between diurnal and seasonal variability. This study demonstrates the unprecedented capability of IMERG in capturing the diurnal cycle of precipitation globally, potentially advancing our understanding in regions of sparse ground measurements and supporting improvements in its representation in global models. Plain Language Summary: Most people are familiar with afternoon thunderstorms in warm seasons or climates, which are a common feature of the diurnal cycle of rainfall. Over the central United States in summer, storms are more likely in the middle of the night, while over ocean, rainfall tends to be highest in the early morning. To study the diurnal cycle and the interplaying factors that drive them, many studies have relied on satellite observations. Here, we demonstrate how refinements in the latest NASA Global Precipitation Measurement gridded precipitation product, Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) V06, can lead to improved reliability for studying diurnal cycles. With only a slight delay in time—an improvement over its predecessor—the IMERG diurnal cycle reveals the time of day when rainfall is heaviest in the Maritime Continent, a region in Southeast Asia where intricate coastlines and complex topography pose challenges to global models. With a high resolution, long record, and global coverage, IMERG can quantify the diurnal cycle of rainfall globally, from the small island of Singapore to the monsoon‐dominated Bangladesh and to the sparsely measured Lake Victoria region in Africa. The maturing ability of IMERG V06 in depicting the diurnal cycle of precipitation gives new confidence in using these data for scientific studies. Key Points: The maturity of the Integrated Multi‐satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement for diurnal cycle analysis is demonstratedGround validation suggests that the diurnal cycle has a slight lag of generally no more than an hourThe high resolution, global coverage, and long record allow an unprecedented view of diurnal cycle around the world [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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