Satellite-based Precipitation Monitoring over Europe using AMSU-A and AMSU-B Sounding Channels

AMSU-A, AMSU-B and MHS, i.e., instruments operating in a cross-track scanning mode, are primarily designed for temperature (AMSU-A) and humidity (AMSU-B, very similar to MHS) profiles. Nevertheless they are also usefully exploited for precip- itation retrieval, mainly because sounding channels measurements filter out spurious signals related to surface emissivities variability. But, AMSU and MHS instruments, as cross-track scanners, provide images with variable zenith angle, that implies differ- ent optical path in the atmosphere, variable resolution across the image and generally problems in applying complex physically-based profile retrieval strategies. Moreover the large IFOV of low frequency AMSU-A channels recommends the use of resolution enhancement techniques. However, encouraging results have been obtained over Eu- rope applying two different algorithms developed at Massachusetts Institute of Tech- nology. The topic will be discussed analyzing some recent case studies.