Precipitation Target of Opportunity for 13 June 2003 Flight:

University of Wisconsin NWP 12 hour forecast for 13 June 2003 locates possible precip target – low off the West coast of British Columbia and extending up toward the Gulf of Alaska.        

LRR-X First Image

LRR-X first rain image (10.7 GHz Brightness Temperature):

Cross track image of Tb has variable slant path and ocean surface incidence angle versus off-nadir angle.

Colder Tb at edges of swath are due to lower horizontally polarized surface emission.

Emission by precipitation is visible as yellow streaks.

LRR-X Zenith-Normalized Path Integrated Attenuation (ZN-PIA)

LRR-X estimated rain rate:

Rain rate estimated from PIA by acquiring freezing level from PR-2, then using parameterized slab model for rain distribution below sea level.  

Freezing level from PR-2: 5000 feet.

LRR-X TB Image (500m Resolution) - Composite of three east/west raster scan flight lines.

    Note: Cross-track variation in background ocean TB due to incidence angle.

LRR-X PIA Image (500m resolution)

    Note: Zenith normalization removes cross-track incidence angle dependence.  Discontinuities between flight lines likely real; time difference ~30 minutes between flight lines.

LRR-X Rain Rate Image (500 m Resolution)

    Note: Derived from PIA using simple slab model with Marshall-Palmer DSD & coastal RaOb T(z)

Ancillary AMSR Retrievals during 13 June 2003 LRR-X Flight

1. Sea Surface Temperature

   2.  Surface Wind Speed

  3.  Cool Liquid Path

| LRR Main Page | Jan. 2003 Photos | Feb/Mar. 2003 Photos | Apr/May 2003 Photos | Test Flight Images | Additional Photos | Videos | Home |