A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls

As one of the most important parameters for the atmospheric water vapor contents, precipitable water vapor derived from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) has been a valuable source of information for forecasting rainfall events in recent years due to the distinctive advantages of high accur...

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Main Authors: Longjiang Li, Kefei Zhang, Hong Zhang, Suqin Wu, Dongsheng Zhao, Xiaoming Wang, Andong Hu, Minghao Zhang, Mardina Abdullah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11078771/
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author Longjiang Li
Kefei Zhang
Hong Zhang
Suqin Wu
Dongsheng Zhao
Xiaoming Wang
Andong Hu
Minghao Zhang
Mardina Abdullah
author_facet Longjiang Li
Kefei Zhang
Hong Zhang
Suqin Wu
Dongsheng Zhao
Xiaoming Wang
Andong Hu
Minghao Zhang
Mardina Abdullah
author_sort Longjiang Li
collection DOAJ
description As one of the most important parameters for the atmospheric water vapor contents, precipitable water vapor derived from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) has been a valuable source of information for forecasting rainfall events in recent years due to the distinctive advantages of high accuracy, high temporal–spatial resolution, wide coverage, and low cost of GNSS data. In this study, a new gated recurrent unit (GRU) based model for forecasting rainfall events was developed using training dataset in the nine-year period of 2010−2018 at 54 GNSS stations located in the USA. Moreover, the length of input windows and the effectiveness of various combinations of seven meteorological parameters were also investigated for the determination of the optimal ones to be used in the new model. The performance of the new model was evaluated using the test dataset in the two-year period of 2019 and 2020, and its results were also compared with those of the threshold-based model developed in our previous study. It is showed that the optimal lengths of input windows at different stations were different; thus, they need to be specifically determined for each station; the model was improved by incorporating four meteorological parameters into the input data; and the mean values of probability of detection and false alarm rate resulting from the new model at all the above 54 stations were 93% and 45%, respectively, which were significantly improved over a threshold-based model. These results suggest that the GRU-based model can effectively forecast most rainfall events due to its utilization of more meteorological data in the input data.
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spelling doaj-art-70883f32b4a7486ebff701edfaa269052025-08-20T03:16:12ZengIEEEIEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing1939-14042151-15352025-01-0118183161832910.1109/JSTARS.2025.358852411078771A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting RainfallsLongjiang Li0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-0266-4154Kefei Zhang1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9376-1148Hong Zhang2Suqin Wu3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0994-402XDongsheng Zhao4Xiaoming Wang5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1720-6630Andong Hu6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6929-2158Minghao Zhang7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5786-7436Mardina Abdullah8https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0725-2852School of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaZhejiang J Color Technologies Company Ltd., Hangzhou, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaSchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaAerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaSpace Weather Technology, Research and Education Center, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USASchool of Environment Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, ChinaDepartment of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Space Science Centre, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, MalaysiaAs one of the most important parameters for the atmospheric water vapor contents, precipitable water vapor derived from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) has been a valuable source of information for forecasting rainfall events in recent years due to the distinctive advantages of high accuracy, high temporal–spatial resolution, wide coverage, and low cost of GNSS data. In this study, a new gated recurrent unit (GRU) based model for forecasting rainfall events was developed using training dataset in the nine-year period of 2010−2018 at 54 GNSS stations located in the USA. Moreover, the length of input windows and the effectiveness of various combinations of seven meteorological parameters were also investigated for the determination of the optimal ones to be used in the new model. The performance of the new model was evaluated using the test dataset in the two-year period of 2019 and 2020, and its results were also compared with those of the threshold-based model developed in our previous study. It is showed that the optimal lengths of input windows at different stations were different; thus, they need to be specifically determined for each station; the model was improved by incorporating four meteorological parameters into the input data; and the mean values of probability of detection and false alarm rate resulting from the new model at all the above 54 stations were 93% and 45%, respectively, which were significantly improved over a threshold-based model. These results suggest that the GRU-based model can effectively forecast most rainfall events due to its utilization of more meteorological data in the input data.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11078771/Gated recurrent unit (GRU)global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)precipitable water vapor (PWV)rainfall forecasting
spellingShingle Longjiang Li
Kefei Zhang
Hong Zhang
Suqin Wu
Dongsheng Zhao
Xiaoming Wang
Andong Hu
Minghao Zhang
Mardina Abdullah
A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing
Gated recurrent unit (GRU)
global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)
precipitable water vapor (PWV)
rainfall forecasting
title A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
title_full A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
title_fullStr A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
title_full_unstemmed A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
title_short A GRU-Based Model Using GNSS-PWV and Meteorological Data for Forecasting Rainfalls
title_sort gru based model using gnss pwv and meteorological data for forecasting rainfalls
topic Gated recurrent unit (GRU)
global navigation satellite systems (GNSS)
precipitable water vapor (PWV)
rainfall forecasting
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11078771/
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