Comparative analysis of TMPA and IMERG precipitation datasets in the arid environment of El- Qaa Plain, Sinai
- 1Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt (monaahmad1985s@yahoo.com)
- 2Geosciences Department, Faculty of Science, Tübingen University, Tübingen, Germany.
- 3Department of Monitoring and Exploration Technologies, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany.
- 4Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus.
- 5ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, Limassol, Cyprus.
- 6German Aerospace Center, German Remote Sensing Data Center, National Ground Segment, Germany.
- 7University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg, Geoinformatics and Geodesy.
- 8Geography Department, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
- 9Zagazig University, Egypt.
The replenishment of aquifers depends mainly on precipitation rates, which is of vital 19 importance for determining water budgets in arid and semi-arid regions. El-Qaa Plain in Sinai 20 Peninsula is such a region which experiences a constant population growth. The local water budget 21 equilibrium is negatively affected by relatively frequent light rain events. This study compares the 22 performance of two sets of satellite-based data of precipitation and in situ rainfall measurements. The 23 dates selected refer to rainfall events between 2015 and 2018. For this purpose, 0.1° and 0.25° spatial 24 resolution TMPA (TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis) and IMERG (Integrated Multi-25 satellitE Retrievals for GPM) data were retrieved and analyzed, employing appropriate statistical 26 metrics. The best-performing data set was determined as the data source capable to most accurately 27 bridge gaps in the limited rain gauge records, embracing both frequent light-intensity rain events 28 and rarer heavy-intensity events. With light-intensity events the corresponding satellite-based data 29 sets differ the least and correlate more, while the greatest differences and weakest correlations are 30 noted for the heavy-intensity events. The satellite-based records best match those of the rain gauges 31 during light-intensity events, when compared to the heaviest ones. IMERG data exhibit a superior 32 performance than TMPA, in all rainfall intensities.
How to cite: Morsy, M., Scholten, T., Michaelides, S., Borg, E., Sherief, Y., and Dietrich, P.: Comparative analysis of TMPA and IMERG precipitation datasets in the arid environment of El- Qaa Plain, Sinai, EGU General Assembly 2021, online, 19–30 Apr 2021, EGU21-2705, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu21-2705, 2021.