Short Name:
GPM_2AKu

GPM DPR Ku Precipitation Profile 2A 1.5 hours 5 km V06 (GPM_2AKu) at GES DISC

Version 06 is the current version of the data set. Older versions will no longer be available and have been superseded by Version 06. The 2AKu algorithm is a single-frequency retrieval that relies on Ku-band data only, and provides precipitation estimates from the Ku radar of the Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar on the core GPM spacecraft. The Ku Level-2A product, 2AKu, ”Ku precipitation,” is written as a 1 swath structure. The swath is NS, normal scans. Since the Ku-band channel of the Dual-Frequency Precipitaiton Radar (DPR) is very similar to the TRMM PR, the principal challenge in the development of the DPR level 2 algorithms is to combine the new Ka-band data with the Ku-band data. It is important to note the difference between the single- and the dual-frequency (DF) algorithms. While this 2AKu dataset is a single-frequency retrieval, the DF algorithm employs both KuPR and KaPR L1B standard products as inputs. The DF algorithm cannot be executed unless both L1B products are available. Pixels observed by DPR can be categorized into three types: pixels in the inner swath of normal scans (observed both by KuPR and KaPR), pixels in the outer swath of normal scans (observed only by KuPR), and pixels in the interleaved scans (observed only by KaPR in the high-sensitivity mode). The KuPR algorithm is executed for pixels in both inner and outer swaths of normal scans. The KaPR algorithm is executed for pixels in the inner swath of normal scans and in the interleaved scans. The DF algorithm is executed for pixels of all the three kinds.

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