Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System (POSS)

The Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System (POSS) is a small X-band 10.525 GHz continuous-wave bi-static vertically pointing Doppler radar. The system reports precipitation occurrence, type and intensity of precipitation at 1-min temporal resolution. Raw measurements are 960 samples per minute. Doppler velocity and return power of hydrometeors intersect the sensing volume near and up to about 3 m above the sensor head.

Post-processing of the spectral data produces a results file containing derived precipitation rate and radar reflectivity, for both liquid and solid precipitation assumptions, at 1-minute temporal resolution.

The minutely POSS precipitation rates are estimated using two different methods. The “mass flux (MF) method” is for liquid precipitation. The “regression method” or “Z-R method” is used by large-scale precipitation radars where there is a relationship (regression) between radar reflectivity (Z) and precipitation rate (R).


POSS units have been deployed at a number of sites worldwide. Datasets are listed as follows,

1) YEU, 2007-07-28 to 2020-03-01 - Eureka, Nunavut, Canada.

2) GNL, 2010-09-15 to 2020-05-01 - Summit Station, Greenland Ice Sheet.

3) CAR, 2011-01-01 to 2019-08-23 - Egbert, Ontario, Canada.

4) YYZ, 2013-06-11 to 2019-05-23 - Toronto Pearson Int. Airport, Ontario, Canada.

5) JAR, 2010-09-17 to 2011-04-20 - Jarvenpaa (40 km N of Helsinki), Finland.

6) EMA, 2010-09-18 to 2010-10-22 - Emasalo (50 km E of Helsinki), Finland.

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Metadata Record Information

File Identifier
c916c624-20c8-480b-ac86-2fb3ccc654da XML
Date Stamp
2022-08-11T17:27:23
Metadata language

eng; CAN
Character set
UTF8
Hierarchy Level
Dataset
Editor
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Science and Technology Branch
4905 Dufferin Street , Toronto , Ontario , M3H5T4 , Canada
4167394536
 

Data identification

Date (Creation)
2022-05-06
Date (Publication)
2022-06-10
Status
On going
Metadata language

eng; CAN
Character set
utf8
Topic category
  • Climatology, meteorology, atmosphere
Maintenance and Update Frequency
As needed
Point of contact
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Science and Technology Branch

Keywords

Temporal

  • Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System, X-band Doppler radar, hydrometeors, radar reflectivity, precipitation

Environment Canada - Program

  • 2.1.1. Weather Observations, Forecasts and Warnings

Branch

  • Science and Technology Branch

Directorate

  • Atmospheric Science and Technology

Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus

  • Weather

Business Functions

  • Provide Weather Information Products and Services

  • Expand Scientific Knowledge / Develop New Methodologies for Monitoring and Predicting Weather
 
Use Limitation

Open Government Licence - Canada ( http://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada )

Access Constraints
Unrestricted
Use Constraints
Unrestricted
Begin Date
2007-01-11

Extent

N
S
E
W
thumbnail


 
 

Ref. system Reference Systems

Reference system identifier
EPSG / EPSG: 4326 /
 

Distribution

Distribution Formats

Distribution format
  • TXT ( .0 )

 
Point of contact
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada; Science and Technology Branch
 
 

Overviews

N
S
E
W
thumbnail


Keywords

Precipitation Occurrence Sensor System, X-band Doppler radar, hydrometeors, radar reflectivity, precipitation
Branch
Science and Technology Branch
Business Functions
Expand Scientific Knowledge / Develop New Methodologies for Monitoring and Predicting Weather Provide Weather Information Products and Services
Directorate
Atmospheric Science and Technology
Environment Canada - Program
2.1.1. Weather Observations, Forecasts and Warnings
Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus
Weather

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