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Assessment of Real Time, Multi-Satellite Precipitation Products under Diverse Climatic and Topographic Conditions

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Abstract

A preliminary assessment of real-time multi-satellite precipitation products, Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) IMERG real time (IMRT), TMPA 3B42 real time (TMPA), PERSIANN (PERS) and CMORPH (CMOR) was carried out in Pakistan on entire study area basis and by dividing the study area in to five regions. It is extended from 61o to 77o East and 23.5 o to 37 o North, with varied climatic and topographic conditions. In south coastline along the Arabian Sea, plateaus, deserts and plain areas in the center and in north snow caped mountains. A set of evaluating (continuous) statistical indices, correlation coefficient (CC), bias (Bias), root mean square error (RMSE) and detective (categorical) statistical indices, probability of detection (POD), false alarm ratio (FAR), critical success index (CSI) were applied to evaluate the satellite products against rain gauge data at daily time scales. However CC values were computed at monthly time scale and comparison between average annual values of satellite data and gauge values was also conducted. At annual basis significant resemblance was observed between spatial distribution of satellite and gauge data. At monthly time scale satellite products showed correlation in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 against reference data at major portion of the study area. But at daily time scale a weak correlation from 0.2 to 0.45, higher values of bias and RMSE in hilly terrains with highest average annual rainfall and the adjacent foot hill areas as compared to the plain areas, lower values of POD, CSI and higher values of FAR were observed. An inter comparison among the used satellite products revealed that overall performance of IMRT was better in the study area.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Center of Excellence in Water Resource Engineering for support in conducting this study. The authors are also grateful to Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) for providing the rain gauge data used in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology GT-Road, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Muhammad Masood

  2. Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology GT-Road, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Abdul Sattar Shakir

  3. Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA), MDO-WAPDA, Mangla Dam, Pakistan

    Aftab Hussain Azhar

  4. Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology GT-Road, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Guhlam Nabi

  5. Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology GT-Road, Lahore, 54890, Pakistan

    Habib-u-Rehman

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  1. Muhammad Masood
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Correspondence to Muhammad Masood.

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Masood, M., Shakir, A.S., Azhar, A.H. et al. Assessment of Real Time, Multi-Satellite Precipitation Products under Diverse Climatic and Topographic Conditions. Asia-Pacific J Atmos Sci 56, 577–591 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13143-019-00166-1

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