On-Orbit Absolute Calibration of the Global Precipitation Measurement Microwave Imager

Abstract

he Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory was launched on 27 February 2014. One of the principal instruments on the spacecraft is the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI). This paper describes the absolute calibration of the GMI antenna temperature (TA) and the earth brightness temperature (TB). The deep-space observations taken on 20 May 2014, supplemented by nadir-viewing data, are used for the TA calibration. Data from two backlobe maneuvers are used to determine the primary reflector?s cold-space spillover, which is required to convert the TA into TB. The calibrated GMI observations are compared to predictions from an ocean radiative transfer model (RTM) using collocated WindSat ocean retrievals as input. The mean difference when averaged globally over 13 months does not exceed 0.1 K for any of the nine channels from 11 to 89 GHz. The RTM comparisons also show that there are no significant solar intrusion errors in the GMI hot load. The absolute accuracy of the GMI instrument is defined as the average ocean-viewing error of the measured TA or TB relative to the true TA or TB. Based on the analyses herein, the GMI absolute accuracy for TA is estimated to be about 0.1 K rms over all channels and 0.25 K rms over all channels for TB.