Statistical integration of satellite passive microwave and infrared data for high-temporal sampling retrieval of rainfall

The complementarity between Sun-synchronous microwave (MW) and geo-stationary infrared (IR) radiometry for rain detection and estimation is analyzed. A systematic analysis of different statistical integration methods is carried out in order to use MW-based rainrate estimates to calibrate IR measurements. Multivariate probability matching and nonlinear multiple regression algorithms are investigated in terms of relative detection and estimation accuracy and computing efficiency. In order to demonstrate the potentiality of the techniques proposed, three case studies are discussed: one focused over the Mediterranean area and two focused on a global scale. The analysis of these case studies has been extended to similar techniques, available in literature, for a comparative evaluation.