The Pan American Climate Studies (PACS) Tropical Eastern Pacific
Process Study (TEPPS) obtained a comprehensive set of observations of
the structure of clouds and precipitating storms over the eastern
tropical Pacific from 28 July-6 September 1997. The goal of the
project was to understand why passive microwave satellite algorithms
indicate more rain in the eastern tropical Pacific than over the
western Pacific warm pool while infrared satellite algorithms indicate
the reverse. Satellite-derived precipitation estimates are based on
characteristics of the vertical structure of precipitating clouds-in
the case of infrared methods, cloud-top temperature; and in the case
of microwave methods, the vertically-integrated ice scattering and
water absorption determined by the vertical profile of
hydrometeors. The premise of the expedition was that by obtaining
surface-based radar measurements of the vertical structure of
precipitation in the eastern Pacific ITCZ where and when the
differences between the infrared and microwave precipitation estimates
were large, it could be determined which method yielded a more
accurate pattern of precipitation in the Pacific.
Because of a medical emergency, the time on station in the eastern
Pacific ITCZ was cut short. The time remaining after the evacuation
provided an opportunity to use the precipitation radar and sounding
system to investigate the marine stratocumulus region off Mexico,
southwest of San Diego.
There are two ways to access the daily images. One can either look at the sketches of four hour images and link to the reduced hourly image loops via the header for each day in the table, or look at fullsize hourly images via the link to the calendar page (i.e. ITCZ or Stratocumulus).
