Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe
This paper evaluates Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals from GPM (IMERG-F) over Europe for the period 2014−2018 in order to evaluate application of the retrievals to hydrology. IMERG-F is compared with a large pan-European precipitation dataset built on rain gauge stations, i.e., the EN...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/21/2470 |
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| author | Andrés Navarro Eduardo García-Ortega Andrés Merino José Luis Sánchez Christian Kummerow Francisco J. Tapiador |
| author_facet | Andrés Navarro Eduardo García-Ortega Andrés Merino José Luis Sánchez Christian Kummerow Francisco J. Tapiador |
| author_sort | Andrés Navarro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper evaluates Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals from GPM (IMERG-F) over Europe for the period 2014−2018 in order to evaluate application of the retrievals to hydrology. IMERG-F is compared with a large pan-European precipitation dataset built on rain gauge stations, i.e., the ENSEMBLES OBServation (E-OBS) gridded dataset. Although there is overall agreement in the spatial distribution of mean precipitation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.8), important discrepancies are revealed in mountainous regions, specifically the Alps, Pyrenees, west coast of the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, and the Adriatic coastline. The results show that the strongest contributors to poor performance are pixels where IMERG-F has no gauges available for adjustment. If rain gauges are available, IMERG-F yields results similar to those of the surface observations, although the performance varies by region. However, even accounting for gauge adjustment, IMERG-F systematically underestimates precipitation in the Alps and Scandinavian mountains. Conversely, IMERG-F overestimates precipitation in the British Isles, Italian Peninsula, Adriatic coastline, and eastern European plains. Additionally, the research shows that gauge adjustment worsens the spatial gradient of precipitation because of the coarse resolution of Global Precipitation Climatology Centre data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:26:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bfe74aee161a49f69336710bb5e94f63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:26:30Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-bfe74aee161a49f69336710bb5e94f632022-12-21T17:24:25ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922019-10-011121247010.3390/rs11212470rs11212470Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over EuropeAndrés Navarro0Eduardo García-Ortega1Andrés Merino2José Luis Sánchez3Christian Kummerow4Francisco J. Tapiador5Atmospheric Physics Group (GFA), Department of Applied Physics, Universidad de León, 24071 León, SpainAtmospheric Physics Group (GFA), Department of Applied Physics, Universidad de León, 24071 León, SpainAtmospheric Physics Group (GFA), Department of Applied Physics, Universidad de León, 24071 León, SpainAtmospheric Physics Group (GFA), Department of Applied Physics, Universidad de León, 24071 León, SpainDepartment of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USAEarth and Space Sciences Group (ESS), Institute of Environmental Sciences (ICAM), University of Castilla-La Mancha, 45071 Toledo, SpainThis paper evaluates Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals from GPM (IMERG-F) over Europe for the period 2014−2018 in order to evaluate application of the retrievals to hydrology. IMERG-F is compared with a large pan-European precipitation dataset built on rain gauge stations, i.e., the ENSEMBLES OBServation (E-OBS) gridded dataset. Although there is overall agreement in the spatial distribution of mean precipitation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.8), important discrepancies are revealed in mountainous regions, specifically the Alps, Pyrenees, west coast of the British Isles, Scandinavia, the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, and the Adriatic coastline. The results show that the strongest contributors to poor performance are pixels where IMERG-F has no gauges available for adjustment. If rain gauges are available, IMERG-F yields results similar to those of the surface observations, although the performance varies by region. However, even accounting for gauge adjustment, IMERG-F systematically underestimates precipitation in the Alps and Scandinavian mountains. Conversely, IMERG-F overestimates precipitation in the British Isles, Italian Peninsula, Adriatic coastline, and eastern European plains. Additionally, the research shows that gauge adjustment worsens the spatial gradient of precipitation because of the coarse resolution of Global Precipitation Climatology Centre data.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/21/2470precipitationsatellite observationssurface observationsimergeurope |
| spellingShingle | Andrés Navarro Eduardo García-Ortega Andrés Merino José Luis Sánchez Christian Kummerow Francisco J. Tapiador Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe Remote Sensing precipitation satellite observations surface observations imerg europe |
| title | Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe |
| title_full | Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe |
| title_short | Assessment of IMERG Precipitation Estimates over Europe |
| title_sort | assessment of imerg precipitation estimates over europe |
| topic | precipitation satellite observations surface observations imerg europe |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/21/2470 |
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