NASA Field Experiment - TEFLUN-B

TEFLUN-B, August 1-September 30, 1998

Central Florida

TEFLUN-B was a NASA sponsored field experiment in support of the Ground Validation component of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The TRMM satellite has a number of sensors on board for measuring radiation parameters from which estimates of rainfall rate and accumulation can be obtained. To evaluate the quality and accuracy of the TRMM rainfall products, NASA designed an extensive ground validation program that includes a number of field experiments. TEFLUN-B (TExas FLorida UNderflights Experiment) followed TEFLUN-A conducted in Texas in 1998. Other experiments included the LBA experiment in Brazil, 1998-1999, and KWAJEX  held in the Kwajalein Atoll, 1999.

The IIHR team, composed of the members of the hydrometeorology group led by Witold Krajewski and Anton Kruger. They  were invited to participate in TEFLUN-B based on its past contributions in the areas of analytical, numerical, and experimental research on rainfall observation and estimation. For TEFLUN-B the team contributed experimental equipment that includes a 2-D video distrometer, a vertically pointing Doppler radar, and a number of tipping bucket raingages. For the duration of the experiment the IIHR equipment was located at the Triple-N Ranch, a wildlife preserve area about 20 miles West off I-95 on 192, near Melbourne, Florida (see photo below). The site was shared with a team from the National Center for Atmospheric Research that operated two radar-based profilers.