Prototype products for ground validation in the GPM-era

Through the use of a dual-polarized radar (KPOL), rain gauges and disdrometers currently located at Kwajalein, Republic of the Marshall Islands, an effort is underway to develop prototype products to improve ground validation (GV) efforts. These products include the following: 1) automated quality control of the raw data (e.g. removal of non-precipitating echo, calibration correction, differential phase unfolding); 2) rain intensity; and, 3) maps of the three dimensional structure of precipitating systems with hydrometeor identification. This effort will provide improved data for rain estimates and rain climatology, minimize manual input in the data production stream, and assist in the development of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)-era GV program, where dual-polarization radars will be readily available at most or all GV sites. It is anticipated that these prototype products will be generated on a routine basis in an operational mode, providing a comprehensive database for comparison to TRMM and other satellite estimates. While the methodology for development of such applications is well documented, tuning of the specific algorithms to the particular regime and observed drop size distributions requires a comprehensive testing and adjustment period to ensure high quality products. The initial focus of this effort will be on algorithm development for quality control, rain intensity, and hydrometeor identification using dual-polarimetric fields from the KPOL radar for the development of prototype GPM-era GV products. Rain intensities will be independently validated against the existing rain gauge network at Kwajalein.