Performance Evaluation of the Conversion Method of 30-Minute Rainfall from IMERG to 1-min Rainfall at Kototabang, West Sumatra

High-speed communication services, vital for uninterrupted wireless signal transmission, face challenges in tropical climates such as Indonesia due to rain attenuation, especially at higher frequencies. Accurate modeling of rain-induced electromagnetic wave attenuation requires 1-min rainfall data, which is often lacking. Various techniques have been developed to convert longer-interval data into 1-min intervals. This study explores the potential of using Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellites, specifically Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrieval for GPM (IMERG), as a data source for 1-min rainfall in Indonesia. Conducted in Kototabang, West Sumatra, using 1-min observational data from the Optical Rain Gauge (ORG) as reference data between 2002 and 2016, the research evaluates different conversion methods, including the ITU-R 837-7 Annex 1 and 2 models. Overall, these methods prove effective, except for the exponential approach. While most conversion methods perform well for ORG data, IMERG data exhibits variations likely due to inherent accuracy challenges. This research provides insights into addressing the scarcity of 1-min rainfall data in Indonesia and underscores the need for further research and validation to enhance these conversion methods for reliable high-speed communication services in challenging climates.