Accuracy assessment of TRMM 3B42 V6 and V7 products using station data over various topographical regions in Turkey

Abstract:

Accurate estimation of precipitation is very critical in many water resource management-based applications particularly over complex topography. Satellite-based precipitation estimates have been playing a vital role in obtaining consistent estimates particularly over locations lacking ground measurements. These estimates are very sensitive to the parameterization of satellite-based retrieval algorithms which require continuous calibration for further improvement in their retrieval accuracies. Hence, inter-comparison of different retrieval algorithms in terms of their performance against ground-based observations is necessary for further improvement in the accuracy of the end products.

In this study, Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) 3B42 product version 6 (V6) and TRMM 3B42 V7 are inter-compared for their accuracy against in-situ data collected from a network of 256 rain gauges over the Turkey. Summer precipitation estimates of both versions have better accuracy when compared to winter estimates. V6 has dry bias over drier regions and V7 has wet bias over wetter regions of the country. Overall, V7 has improved accuracy when compared to V6.