Online Visualization and Analysis of NASA Satellite-Based Global and Regional Precipitation Products through Giovanni

Observational data are essential for Earth science research and applications. Traditional ground-based observations suffer from many limitations (e.g. costly deployment). As a result, data are often sparse and inconsistent, especially over vast oceans that cover nearly 71% of the Earth’s surface and in remote continents. Precipitation is one of the important physical parameters in the global hydrological cycle and other disciplines. Each year, severe floods and droughts happen in different parts of the world and cause significant damages to the economy and casualties (e.g. Hurricane Katrina, the Dust Bowl). Accurate and timely available precipitation observations and predictions are important for research and applications. However, ground-based precipitation observations are quite limited, especially in remote and mountainous regions. Since the satellite era began, satellite-based precipitation products have gained popularity in Earth science research, application, education, etc. However, accessing satellite products can be a daunting task to many, especially those who do not have prior experiences or knowledge with satellite data. Recognizing this obstacle, the NASA Goddard Earth Sciences and Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), home to data archives for the NASA-JAXA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM), has developed data services including an online visualization and analysis tool, Giovanni (the Geospatial Interactive Online Visualization and Analysis Infrastructure), for users at different levels to access, explore, and evaluate NASA satellite-based data products without the need to download data and software. Precipitation products from different satellite missions (TRMM, GPM) and projects (e.g. the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications Version 2 (MERRA-2), the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS)), ranging from half-hourly to monthly, are available in Giovanni. Currently, there are over 1900 variables in Giovanni, covering measurements in precipitation, hydrology, atmospheric dynamics, atmospheric chemistry, etc. In this poster presentation, we will provide a live demonstration of Giovanni and its latest development including precipitation-related variables and new basic features such as polar projections. The session will also provide a Q&A opportunity for attendees.