The GPM Ground Validation Joss-Waldvogel Disdrometer (JW) NSSTC dataset was collected by the Joss-Waldvogel (JW) disdrometer, which is an impact-type electromechanical counter designed to measure drop size distribution (DSD). This dataset provides rainfall data for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Mission Ground Validation Experiment collected at the National Space Science Technology Center (NSSTC), Huntsville, AL. There may be occasional gaps in the data when the instrument is not resident at the NSSTC and is sent to participate in field campaigns.

The GPM Ground Validation Cloud Spectrometer and Impactor (CIP) LPVEx dataset provides particle size spectra for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Misson Ground Validation Experiment. Data was collected by the Cloud spectrometer and impactor (CIP) and 2D-S (2-dimensional stereo probe) aboard the University of Wyoming King Air flown in Finland during the Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) from August to October 2010. Lat, lon, altitude, pressure, and temperature are provided with the total concentration of particles with diameter greater than 100 microns.

The GPM Ground Validation Wyoming King Air Cloud Microphysics LPVEx dataset includes, in addition to aircraft parameters, many scientific parameters, such as static pressure, dew point temperature, relative humidity, mixing ratio, liquid water content, and droplet concentration. These data were collected as part of the Light Precipitation Evaluation Experiment (LPVEx) from September 11, 2010 to October 20, 2010 in the Gulf of Finland. The dataset was collected to aid in achieving the overarching goals of LPVEx, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation algorithms for current and future satellite platforms and to detect and understand the process of light rainfall formation at high latitudes. It should be noted that multiple instruments were carried aboard the University of Wyoming King Air (UWKA) including the Cloud Microphysics instrument and the Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR) instrument. Data files are in netCDF-3 format.

The GPM Ground Validation Two-Dimensional Video Disdrometer (2DVD) LPVEx dataset was collected during the Light Precipitation Evaluation Experiment (LPVEx), which took place in September and October 2010 in the Gulf of Finland. The experiment aimed to characterize the ability of CloudSat, the Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR), and existing/planned passive microwave (PMW) sensors, such as the GPM microwave imager (GMI), to detect light rain and evaluate their estimates of rainfall intensity in high latitude, shallow freezing level environments.The experiment leveraged in situ microphysical property measurements, coordinated remote sensing observations, and cloud resolving model simulations of high latitude precipitation systems to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation algorithms for current and future satellite platforms. The campaign will use these measurements to better understand the process of light rainfall formation at high latitudes and augment the currently limited database of light rainfall microphysical properties that form the critical assumptions at the root of satellite retrieval algorithm.

The GPM Ground Validation Optical Disdrometer (ODM) LPVEx dataset consists of precipitation particle size distribution data collected by the Eigenbrodt Optical Disdrometer (ODM) deployed onboard the RV Aranda research vessel. ODM was specifically designed to measure precipitation on ship-based platforms that experience high and variable winds. ODM’s ability to maintain the optimal orientation with respect to the wind allows it to obtain more accurate precipitation measurements in this type of environment. The ODM data were collected as part of the Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) in September and October of 2010 around the Gulf of Finland. The overarching goals of LPVEx were to detect and understand the process of light rainfall formation at high latitudes and to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation algorithms for current and future satellite platforms. The ODM dataset files are available in ASCII text format from September 15 through September 26, 2010.

The GPM Ground Validation Kumpula Mast Meteorological Data LPVEx dataset is comprised of temperature, radiation, and wind measurements collected by the Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations III (SMEAR III) Kumpula Mast in Helsinki, Finland. This occurred during the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission Light Precipitation Validation Experiment (LPVEx) field campaign. This field campaign took place around the Gulf of Finland, aiming to provide additional high-latitude, light rainfall measurements for the improvement of GPM satellite precipitation algorithms. These meteorological dataset files are available from September 17 through October 21, 2010 in ASCII text format.