Overview

IMAP project summary and objectives

IMAP (Integrating Microwave Link Data For Analysis of Precipitation in Complex Terrain: Theoretical Aspects and Hydrometeorological Applications) focuses on improving rainfall estimation from commercial microwave link (CML) data to subsequently improve modeling and forecasting flooding events.

Project objectives

The specific scientific objectives are:

  1. To mitigate errors and to improve calibration for microwave attenuation derived precipitation estimates.
  2. To investigate the potential of microwave link data as source of atmospheric humidity information.
  3. To improve estimates of the spatio-temporal rainfall distribution by developing new data integration and reconstruction methods for gauge-, radar- and microwave link data, as well as high resolution hydrometeorological model output.
  4. To set up and extend a coupled hydrometeorological model system (WRF-Hydro) that allows to account for the complex and fast precipitation-runoff processes in mountainous terrain.

The specific strategic objectives are:

  1. To enable the acquisition of microwave link data from the Palestine cell phone provider Wataniya and combine it with the existing data from Israel to provide a better coverage of the area of Israel and Palestine and establish a joint data base.
  2. To set up and extend the direct acquisition of commercial microwave link data in Germany to increase the number of available links.
  3. To develop and setup a new flood and flash flood forecasting system at the Israeli Hydrological Service (IHS).
  4. To initiate and intensify exchange of scientific expertise and knowledge between Israel, Palestine and Germany.

Project consortium

Project coordination:

  • Harald Kunstmann, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Campus Alpine, Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Project partners:

  • Uwe Siart, Technische Universität München (TUM), München
  • Anan Jayyousi, An-Najah National University (ANU), Nablus, Palestine
  • Sameer Shadeed, An-Najah National University (ANU), Nablus, Palestine
  • Hagit Messer, Tel Aviv University (TAU), Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Pinhas Alpert, Tel Aviv University (TAU), Tel Aviv, Israel
  • Alon Rimmer, Kinneret Limnological Laboratory (KLL), Migdal, Isreal
  • Erick Fredj, The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT), Jerusalem, Israel

Associated partners (National services, non-academic institutions):

  • Amir Givati, Israel Hydrological Service (IHS), Jerusalem, Israel
  • Jörg Seltmann, German Weather Service (DWD), Hoher Peißenberg, Germany

Acknowledgment

  • IMAP was fully funded by the DFG