The usefulness of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) in the analysis of precipitation events

In this work, several precipitation events that occurred in Italy were analysed exploiting the potential of the two GNSS techniques (i.e. ground-based and space-based GNSS receivers). From ground-based receivers, time series of IPWV were produced at specific locations with the purpose of analysing the water vapour behaviour during precipitation events. From LEO receivers, the profiling potential was exploited to retrieve the cloud top altitude of convective events, taking into account that although GNSS RO could capture the dynamics of the atmosphere with high vertical resolution, the temporal resolution is not enough to continuously monitor such an event in a local area. Therefore, the GNSS technique can be considered as a supplemental meteorological system useful in studying precipitation events, but with very different spatial and temporal features depending on the receiver positioning.