Use of Precipitation Data from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 in the Forecasting of Floods in Assam

Abstract

Flood occurs most commonly from heavy rainfall but it can also result from storm surge associated with a tropical cyclone, a tsunami or a high tide coinciding with higher than normal river levels. Rainfall in the upstream of a river can also cause inundation in the downstream side of a river. Reliable and timely information is essential for appropriate flood management system. This paper explains the use of precipitation data obtained from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR) 2 for the detection of flood. The data obtained, if timely utilized helps in the mitigation of floods and aids to decrease the mortality rate. (AMSR) 2 is a passive microwave sensor and it can record microwave energy emitted by the atmosphere, reflected from the surface, emitted from the surface or transmitted from the subsurface. Algorithms were developed to assess the precipitation values of southern part of Assam and along the upstream and downstream side of river Brahmaputra for the month of August and September, 2014. The assessment and consequent analysis led to possibility of forecasting the flood occurrences in many places in Assam. Keywords : AMSR 2, microwave remote sensors, precipitation, flood