Toward a fully parametric retrieval of the nonraining parameters over the global oceans

In light of the upcoming launch of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, a parametric retrieval algorithm of the nonraining parameters over the global oceans is developed with the ability to accommodate all currently existing and planned spaceborne microwave window channel sensors and imagers. The physical retrieval is developed using all available sensor channels in a full optimal estimation inversion. This framework requires that retrieved parameters be physically consistent with all observed satellite radiances regardless of the sensor being used. The retrieval algorithm has been successfully applied to the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I), and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) with geophysical parameter retrieval results comparable to independent studies using sensor-optimized algorithms. The optimal estimation diagnostics characterize the retrieval further, providing errors associated with each of the retrieved parameters, indicating whether the retrieved state is physically consistent with observed radiances, and yielding information on how well simulated radiances agree with observed radiances. This allows for the quantitative assessment of potential calibration issues in either the model or sensor. In addition, there is an expected, consistent response of these diagnostics based on the scene being observed, such as in the case of a raining scene, allowing for the emergence of a rainfall detection scheme providing a new capability in rainfall identification for use in passive microwave rainfall and cloud property retrievals.