1. Precipitation-Virtual Constellation
Committee on Earth Observation Satellites
Precipitation-Virtual Constellation
Co-chairs: Gail Skofronick-Jackson (NASA) and Riko Oki (JAXA)
CEOS 2019 SIT Technical Workshop
Session 5: Reports from Virtual Constellations: Topic 5.5
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
11 – 12 September 2019

2. Background Information Status/Only newly updated listed
Report: Status of P-VC Work Plan
One P-VC CEOS Work Plan Status action item has been completed in the last quarter:
The next P-VC meeting will be held at the NASA Precipitation Measurements Science Team meeting 4 November 2019.
There are no known P-VC items that need to be taken to Plenary.
The Work Plan will be updated on the deliverables.ceos.org
CEOS Work Plan Item
Est. Date
Background Information
Status/Only newly updated listed
VC-17: Support to ECV
precipitation parameters
Q4 2018
Precipitation ECV support: Provide the CEOS Response to GCOS Action A-8; ensure continuity of satellite precipitation products through five deliverables.
2018-1: Reprocessing complete except for combined TRMM products. Completion expected end of October Delayed until Summer 2019
Completed August 16, 2019: IMERG for TRMM is available back to 2000.
2018-3: Complete Experimental production demonstrated. Operational production planned in Q4.
2018-5: Complete MetOp-C in launch campaign scheduled for November 6 launch.

3. CEOS operations in the global community
Precipitation is a key Earth system component and is cross-cutting to several VCs and WGs including, for example: Atmospheric Composition-VC; Disasters WG; Agriculture WG; and Freshwater activities.
Because precipitation is a global variable and linked to many Earth systems, P-VC encourages discussions among the various VCs, WGs, Ad Hoc Teams, etc.
Other groups, mainly CGMS, also have a focus on precipitation, specifically the International Precipitation Working Group (IPWG)
During the CEOS P-VC meeting in November we are inviting relevant IPWG co-chairs (past and present) to discuss potential synergies, recommendations, and joint activities.
P-VC is keeping aware of potential future precipitation observations such as NASA’s Decadal Survey’s Aerosols, Cloud, Convection and Precipitation (ACCP) Designated Observable

4. Contributions to GEO
SDG Target 15.3:
“By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land- degradation neutral world”
P-VC data can help with identifying drought and flood land areas, as can other elements within the WGDisasters, LSI-VC, others

5. Key Datasets for Science and Society
Multi-satellite Merged Products: IMERG (NASA) & GSMaP (JAXA) IMERG rainfall accumulations from Hurricane Dorian
Check out full article and updates of Hurricane Dorian at

6. Precipitation-VC
Questions?