Evaluation and Applicability Analysis of GPM Satellite Precipitation over Mainland China

Abstract

This study aims to systematically evaluate the accuracy and applicability of GPM satellite precipitation products (IMERG-E, IMERG-L, and IMERG-F) with varying time lags at different spatial and temporal scales over mainland China. We use quantitative statistical indicators, including correlation coefficient (CC), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean daily precipitation, probability of detection (POD), false alarm rate (FAR), bias, and equitable threat score (ETS), based on observations from 2419 national gauge sites. The results show that GPM satellite precipitation products perform well in eastern and southern humid regions of China, with relatively poorer performance in western and northern regions in terms of spatial distribution. It reflects the sensitivity of GPM precipitation retrieval algorithm to climate and precipitation type, topography, density, and quality of ground observation across different latitudes. Despite the design of GPM for different forms of precipitation, IMERG products perform the best in summer and the worst in winter, indicating that estimating snowfalls via satellite is still challenging. In terms of precipitation intensity, IMERG products significantly improve performance for light and no rain (POD ≥ 0.7), but errors gradually increase for moderate, heavy, and torrential rain, due to the saturation tendency of satellite echoes. Overall, we comprehensively evaluate the IMERG products, revealing the distinct characteristics at various spatial–temporal scales focusing on rainfall accumulations over mainland China. This study provides an important reference for other similar satellite-based precipitation products. It also helps the parameter optimization of hydrological modelling, especially under extreme precipitation conditions, to enhance the accuracy of flood simulation.