Polar Satellite (POES) Teletraining –

"Experimental Satellite Derived Tropical Rainfall Potential (TRaP)"

Course Outline

I.     Introduction
          •  What is TRaP ?
          •  Why do we need a TRaP product ?
          •  What does the TRaP technique leverage in terms of satellite data ?

II.     TRaP Heritage/History
          •  Tropical cyclone precipitation estimation in the 1980's
          •  Moving from a subjective to an objective technique in the 1990's
          •  Taking advantage of microwave observations from polar satellites
          •  The current TRaP formula/equation

III.    The Microwave TRaP Technique
          •  DMSP SSM/I input to TRaP
          •  The role of verification
          •  Area vs. point TRaP
          •  Improved resolution with AMSU-B (NOAA satellites) and NASA TRMM-TMI
          •  Assumptions and Limitations
          •  Realtime access (http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trap-img.html)
          •  Domestic and foreign users
          •  NWS support

IV.     TRaP Examples
          •  TRaP vs. model output and observed rainfall
          •  Topical Storm Bertha (Gulf of Mexico), Aug 2002
          •  Topical Storm Fay (Gulf of Mexico), Sep 2002
          •  Topical Storm Hanna (Gulf of Mexico), Sep 2002
          •  Topical Storm Edouard (Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico), Sep 2002
          •  Hurricane Isidore (Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico), Sep 2002
          •  Hurricane Lili (Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico), Sep/Oct 2002
          •  Tropical Storm Helene and an example of operational support
             (Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf of Mexico), Sep 2000
          •  International Support

V.      Future Initiatives and Improvements
          •  Digital TRaP output to customers
          •  Continued validation efforts
          •  Continued Internet output - by worldwide storm basin + 6-hourly TRaPs
          •  Development of a blended microwave-GOES Auto(Hydro)-Estimator TRaP
          •  Development of a proposed Tropical Rainfall Nowcaster (TRaN) for storms over land

VI.     Summary
          •  Review of major points
          •  Contacts
              Sheldon.Kusselson@noaa.gov (TRaP info)
              Ralph.R.Ferraro@noaa.gov (Microwave products info)
              Antonio.Irving@noaa.gov (Automated TRaP)
          •  Resource links
              http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/trap-img.html
              http://www.comet.ucar.edu/class/POES_2002/trap/ref_links.htm
          •  Verification links
              ftp://gp16.wwb.noaa.gov/pub/volcano/Kusselson/2002trapcases.xls
              ftp://gp16.wwb.noaa.gov/pub/volcano/Kusselson/2002trap-sat-hr.xls
              ftp://gp16.wwb.noaa.gov/pub/volcano/Kusselson/JHTTRaPObsModelExamples.ppt
          •  Bibliography

VII.    Questions

VIII.   Appendix – An expanded look at the evolution of the TRaP technique

Last Updated 5 May 2003

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