Unified framework for precipitation retrieval and analysis by means of multisensor satellite observations and cloud model simulations: Application to H-SAF

The EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management (H-SAF) has been established in mid-2005, to generate products relative to precipitation, soil moisture and snow, and to assess their impact on hydrological applications. The paper deals with the precipitation products generation chain. The precipitation products are derived from MW radiometers such as SSM/I and SMMIS from the DMSP satellites, and AMSU-A, AMSU-B and MHS from MetOp and NOAA; and thereafter blended with SEVIRI images from Meteosat. Other sensors such as AMSR-E from EOS-Aqua, and TMI, PR and LIS from TRMM, are used in support of algorithm development. The products to be generated include: precipitation rate with flag for liquid/solid from MW sensors (SMM/I-SSMIS and AMSU-MHS), precipitation rate from blended LEO/MW and GEO/IR, and accumulated precipitation over 3, 6, 12 and 24 h. Target delivery time is 15 min for MW-derived data, 5 min for MW-IR blended data, and 15 min for accumulated precipitation. The algorithm development is mostly under responsibility of CNR-ISAC, with contributions from other units of the H-SAF consortium. Several H-SAF units contribute to calibration/validation activity. Software integration, pre-operational products generation and distribution after quality control will be under the responsibility of the Italian Meteorological Service.