Tropical Microwave Brightness Temperature Data from AMPR

Abstract

The Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer (AMPR) was deployed in four major tropical field programs in 1998-1999; the Texas-Florida Underflights (TEFLUN), the Third Convection and Moisture Experiment (CAMEX-3), the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission-Land Biosphere Atmosphere (TRMM-LBA) Experiment, and the Kwajalein Experiment (KWAJEX). Each experiment concentrated on a distinct tropical climate regime and/or phenomena. AMPR sampled passive microwave radiation at approximately 10, 19, 37, and 85 GHz from the NASA ER-2 (TEFLUN, CAMEX-3, TRMM-LBA) and the NASA DC-8 (KWAJEX) research aircraft. Presented will be the microwave brightness temperature signatures for each of these climate regimes. Results will be discussed and suggested avenues of research and development explored. Also, brightness temperature and precipitation comparisons with coincident data from the TRMM TMI and DMSP SSM/I(s) will be made where applicable and available.