Radar scan showing satellite overpass
DMSP satellite
An EU project called Meteorological Forecasting for Flood Events used the SSMI satellite combined with radar data to improve estimates of rainfall intensity. Improved estimates of rainfall could help mitigate the risk of flooding. Chilbolton data was being taken during overpasses.
Rainfall rates and rain cell structures from TOPEX altimeter data
Southampton Oceanography Centre (SOC) used the attenuation of the backscatter from two altimeters on the TOPEX satellite to indirectly measure rainfall. These active altimeters operated at 5 and 14 GHz and there were 10 overpasses per month. Researchers used the Chilbolton radar to produce independent rainfall measures over the satellite path. The data provided was analysed by SOC. An example of a horizontal Chilbolton scan with the satellite ground track plotted on top is given in the diagram to the left.
