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SWIM-GNSS – New IGG Project Selected for Funding in the NCBR Poland–Taiwan Joint Research Projects Call

18-06-2026

Within the framework of the 13th Poland–Taiwan Joint Research Projects Call, the SWIM-GNSS (Severe Weather Understanding through Integrated Moisture Retrieval from GNSS) project entitled “Innovative moisture retrieval from integrated GNSS observations as a key to understanding severe weather events” has been selected for funding. The project is funded by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR) and Taiwan’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). The research will be carried out by scientists from the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics in collaboration with National Central University and National Taipei University, Taiwan. The Principal Investigator on the Polish side is Dr Estera Trzcina.

The main objective of the project is to develop an innovative method for integrating GNSS observations to improve atmospheric moisture monitoring in the troposphere. The research will combine two complementary sources of atmospheric information: GNSS radio occultation observations and three-dimensional moisture reconstructions obtained using GNSS tropospheric tomography, using a model developed at the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics. Particular attention will be given to reducing systematic errors present in radio occultation profiles within the lowest layers of the atmosphere.


The study will be based on data collected during the international TAHOPE (Taiwan-Area Heavy Rainfall Observation and Prediction Experiment) campaign, which includes observations of heavy rainfall events, thunderstorms, and typhoons over Taiwan. This region provides a unique natural laboratory thanks to its dense network of more than 200 GNSS stations and the frequent occurrence of GNSS radio occultation events over the western Pacific. The project is expected to enhance the quality of GNSS-derived atmospheric products assimilated into numerical weather prediction models, leading to a more accurate representation of atmospheric moisture fields and improved weather forecasts, particularly for extreme events such as heavy precipitation, convective storms, and mesoscale weather systems.