scholarly journals Tropospheric Comparisons of Vaisala Radiosondes and Balloon-Borne Frost-Point and Lyman-α Hygrometers during the LAUTLOS-WAVVAP Experiment

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. M. Suortti ◽  
R. Kivi ◽  
A. Kats ◽  
V. Yushkov ◽  
N. Kämpfer ◽  
...  

Abstract The accuracy of all types of Vaisala radiosondes and two types of Snow White chilled-mirror hygrosondes was assessed in an intensive in situ comparison with reference hygrometers. Fourteen nighttime reference comparisons were performed to determine a working reference for the radiosonde comparisons. These showed that the night version of the Snow White agreed best with the references [i.e., the NOAA frost-point hygrometer (FPH) and University of Colorado cryogenic frost-point hygrometer (CFH)], but that the daytime version had severe problems with contamination in the humid upper troposphere. Since the RS92 performance was superior to the other radiosondes and to the day version of the Snow White, it was selected to be the working reference. According to the reference comparison, the RS92 has no bias in the mid- and lower troposphere, with deviations <±5% in relative humidity (RH). In the upper troposphere, the RS92 has a ∼5% RH wet bias, which is partly due to the RS92 time lag error and the termination of the heating cycle. It was shown that the time lag effects relating to Vaisala radiosondes can be corrected. Because these were nighttime comparisons, they can be considered to be free from solar radiation effects. Neither the radiosondes nor the Snow White succeeded in reproducing reference class hygrometer profiles in the stratosphere. According to the 29 radiosonde intercomparisons, the RS92 and the modified RS90 (FN) had the best mutual agreement and no bias. The disagreement is largest (<±10% RH) at low temperatures (T ≪ −30°C), where the FN underestimated (overestimated) in high (low) ambient RH. In comparison with the RS92, the RS90 had a semilinearly increasing wet bias with decreasing temperature, where the bias was ∼10% RH at −60°C. The RS80-A suffers from a large temperature-dependent dry bias in high RH conditions, being over 30% RH at −60°C and ∼5% RH near 0°C. The RS80-A dry bias can be almost totally removed with the correction algorithm by Leiterer et al., which was chosen as the best available. The other approach tested tends to overcorrect in high RH conditions when T < −50°C. For T > −30°C it is ineffective and does not correct the RS80-A dry bias in high ambient RH.

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 1506-1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gé Verver ◽  
Masatomo Fujiwara ◽  
Pier Dolmans ◽  
Cor Becker ◽  
Paul Fortuin ◽  
...  

Abstract In climate research there is a strong need for accurate observations of water vapor in the upper atmosphere. Radiosoundings provide relative humidity profiles but the accuracy of many routine instruments is notoriously inadequate in the cold upper troposphere. In this study results from a soundings program executed in Paramaribo, Suriname (5.8°N, 55.2°W), are presented. The aim of this program was to compare the performance of different humidity sensors in the upper troposphere in the Tropics and to test different bias corrections suggested in the literature. The payload of each sounding consisted of a chilled-mirror “Snow White” sensor from Meteolabor AG, which was used as a reference, and two additional sensors from Vaisala, that is, either the RS80A, the RS80H, or the RS90. In total 37 separate soundings were made. For the RS80A a clear, dry bias of between −4% and −8% RH is found in the lower troposphere compared to the Snow White observation, confirming the findings in previous studies. A mean dry bias was found in the upper troposphere, which could be effectively corrected. The RS80H sensor shows a significant wet bias of 2%–5% in RH in the middle and upper troposphere, which has not been reported before. Comparing observations with RS80H sensors of different ages gives no indication of sensor aging or sensor contamination. It is therefore concluded that the plastic cover introduced by Vaisala to avoid sensor contamination is effective. Finally, the RS90 sensor yields a small but significant wet bias of 2%–3% below 7-km altitude. The time-lag error correction from Miloshevich et al. was applied to the Vaisala data, which resulted in an increased variability in the relative humidity profile above 9- (RS80A), 8- (RS80H), and 11-km (RS90) altitude, respectively, which is in better agreement with the Snow White data. The averaged Snow White profile is compared with the average profiles of relative humidity from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). No significant bias is found in either the analyses or the forecasts. The correlation coefficient for the Snow White and ECMWF data between 200 and 800 hPa was 0.66 for the 36-h forecast and 0.77 for the analysis.


2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 941-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Vömel ◽  
V. Yushkov ◽  
S. Khaykin ◽  
L. Korshunov ◽  
E. Kyrö ◽  
...  

Studies of global climate rely critically on accurate water vapor measurements. In this paper, a comparison of the NOAA/Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL) frost-point hygrometer and the Fluorescent Advanced Stratospheric Hygrometer for Balloon (FLASH-B) Lyman-alpha hygrometer is reported. Both instruments were part of a small balloon payload that was launched multiple times at Sodankylä, Finland. The comparison shows agreement well within the instrumental uncertainties between both sensors in the Arctic stratospheric vortex. The mean deviation between both instruments in the range between 15 and 25 km is −2.4% ± 3.1% (one standard deviation). The comparison identified some instrumental issues, such as a low mirror-temperature calibration correction for the NOAA/CMDL frost-point hygrometer as well as a time lag. It was found that the FLASH-B hygrometer measures water vapor reliably above 7 km in the polar atmosphere. Comparisons in the upper troposphere are affected by the gain change of the NOAA/CMDL hygrometer, causing a lag and a wet bias in the tropospheric low gain setting under the dry conditions in the upper troposphere.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56
Author(s):  
Milan Palat

Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’den göç ve Almanya’nın ekonomik göstergeleri arasındaki ilişkiyi, nicel metot yöntemleri kullanarak değerlendirmektir. Türkiye’nin belirsiz Avrupa ile bütünleşme beklentilerine rağmen  Avrupa Birliğinin köklü üyelerine olan Türk göçü devam edecektir. Çok sayıda Türk azınlığın yaşadığı ve hayat standartlarının yüksek olduğu Almanya, Hollanda ve Fransa’ya  büyük bir göç dalgası gerçekleşebilir. Çalışmanın istatistiksel bölümünün sonuçları, toplam göç ile gayri safi yurtiçi hasıladaki büyüme arasında pozitif, toplam göç ile işsizlik arasındaki negatif ve tahmin edilen bağımlılık yönüyle uygunluk içerisinde olan toplam göç ile aylık gelir arasında pozitif ilişki olduğunu göstermektedir. Türkiye’den göçle işsizlik arasındaki ilişki, toplam göçle olan ilişkiden daha düşüktür. Ancak, Almanya’daki yabancı mevcudiyeti ile Türkiye’den göç arasında bir ilişki bulunmaktadır. Bu durum, var olan göçmen topluluğunun olduğu yerin, yeni göçmenleri, köken bağlarına dayanarak cezbetmesi ve maliyet- riskler sebebiyle göçün düşük seviye de olduğuna dayanan kuramsal Ağ teorisi görüşü ile uygunluk göstermektedir. Göç ve işsizlik arasında gözlenen ilişki, Almanya’ya göçün  işgücü piyasasında talepte meydana gelen değişime karşılık geldiği gerçeğini göstermektedir. İşsizlik ve göç olgularının meydana geliş zamanlarında bir aralık  olsa bile  göç, Alman emek pazarında var olan dengesizliklerin azaltılmasında nispeten etkili bir mekanizma gibi görünmektedir. ENGLISH TITLE & ABSTRACTTurkish Immigration to the European Union: The Case of GermanyThe objective of the paper was to evaluate the relationships between immigration from Turkey and economic indicators in Germany using  quantitative methods. Despite Turkey’s unclear European integration prospects, it is predicted that Turkish immigration to  established member countries of the EU will continue. The strongest waves may flow to Germany, Netherlands or France, where numerous Turkish minorities are already present and where the living standards are high. Results from the statistical analysis of the paper showed a positive correlation between immigration total and the growth of gross domestic product. On the other hand, a negative correlation of immigration total and unemployment was found and a positive relationship between immigration total and income total which is in agreement with the expected dependency direction. With regards to  immigration from Turkey it is less correlated to unemployment than immigration total. But there is a correlation between immigration from Turkey and the stock of foreigners in Germany This is in accordance with the theoretical concept of network theory where an existing community of migrants keeps attracting new migrants because the costs and risks associated with migration are lower, thanks to established linkages to the country of origin. The observed correlation of migration and unemployment points to the fact that immigration to Germany responds to changes in demand in the labour market. Even though a time lag may occur in the case of unemployment and immigration, migration appears to be a relatively effective mechanism to offset existing imbalances in German labour markets. 


2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrich Leiterer ◽  
Horst Dier ◽  
Dagmar Nagel ◽  
Tatjana Naebert ◽  
Dietrich Althausen ◽  
...  

Abstract Routine radiosonde relative humidity (RH) measurements are not reliable as they are presently used in the global upper-air network. The new Lindenberg measuring and evaluation method, which provides RH profile measurements with an accuracy of ±1% RΗ in the temperature range from 35° to −70°C near the tropical tropopause is described. This Standardized Frequencies (FN) method uses a thin-film capacitive polymer sensor of a modified RS90-H Humicap radiosonde. These research humidity reference radiosondes (FN sondes) are used to develop a correction method for operational RS80-A Humicap humidity profiles. All steps of correction and quality control for RS80-A radiosondes are shown: ground-check correction, time-lag and temperature-dependent correction, and the recognition of icing during the ascent. The results of a statistical comparison between FN sondes and RS80-A sondes are presented. Corrected humidity data of operational RS80-A sondes used in Lindenberg (4 times daily) show no bias when compared to FN radiosondes and have an uncertainty of about ±3% RH at the 1 σ or 68% confidence level from 1000 to about 150 hPa. Only a small dry bias of at most −2% RH remains in the lowest part of the boundary layer (up to 500-m height). Finally, some examples of corrected RS80-A RH profiles in cirrus clouds validated by lidar backscattering profiles in a region of the intertropical convergence (Maldive Islands) are demonstrated. The soundings indicate that ice-saturated and ice-supersaturated air above 10-km height were connected with cirrus clouds in all 47 investigated cases, and, second, that the corrected RS80-A RH profiles also provide good quality information on water vapor in the upper troposphere.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 12719-12733 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Zus ◽  
G. Beyerle ◽  
S. Heise ◽  
T. Schmidt ◽  
J. Wickert

Abstract. The Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) technique provides valuable input for numerical weather prediction and is considered as a data source for climate related research. Numerous studies outline the high precision and accuracy of RO atmospheric soundings in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. In this altitude region (8–25 km) RO atmospheric soundings are considered to be free of any systematic error. In the tropical (30° S–30° N) Lower (<8 km) Troposphere (LT), this is not the case; systematic differences with respect to independent data sources exist and are still not completely understood. To date only little attention has been paid to the Open Loop (OL) Doppler model. Here we report on a RO experiment carried out on-board of the twin satellite configuration TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X which possibly explains to some extent biases in the tropical LT. In two sessions we altered the OL Doppler model aboard TanDEM-X by not more than ±5 Hz with respect to TerraSAR-X and compare collocated atmospheric refractivity profiles. We find a systematic difference in the retrieved refractivity. The bias mainly stems from the tropical LT; there the bias reaches up to ±1%. Hence, we conclude that the negative bias (several Hz) of the OL Doppler model aboard TerraSAR-X introduces a negative bias (in addition to the negative bias which is primarily caused by critical refraction) in our retrieved refractivity in the tropical LT.


MAUSAM ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 503-514
Author(s):  
R. SURESH

The total ozone derived from TOVS data from NOAA 12 satellite through one step physical retrieval algorithm of  International TOVS Processing Package (ITPP) version 5.0 has been used to identify  its diurnal, monthly, latitudinal and longitudinal variability during 1998 over the domain Equator to 26° N / 60-100° E. The linkage of  maximum total ozone with warmer tropopause and lower stratosphere has been re-established. The colder upper tropospheric temperature which is normally associated with maximum ozone concentration throughout the year elsewhere in the world  has also been identified in this study but the relationship gets reversed during southwest  monsoon months(June-September) over the domain considered. The moisture  available in abundance in the lower troposphere gets precipitated due to the convective instability prevailing in the atmosphere during monsoon season and very little moisture is only available for vertical transport into the upper troposphere atop 500 hPa. The latent heat released by the  precipitation processes warms up the middle and upper atmosphere. The warm and dry upper troposphere could be the reason for less depletion of ozone in the upper troposphere during monsoonal  months and this is supported by the positive correlation coefficient prevailing in monsoon season between  total ozone and upper tropospheric (aloft 300 hPa) temperature. The warmness in middle and upper troposphere which is associated with less depletion and/or production of more  ozone in the upper troposphere may  perhaps contribute  for the  higher total ozone during monsoon months than in other seasons over peninsular Indian region.  The minimum concentration is observed during January (226 DU) over 6° N and the maximum (283DU) over 18° N during August. Longitudinal variability is less pronounced than the latitudinal variability.


Author(s):  
Yuya Hamaguchi ◽  
Yukari N. Takayabu

AbstractIn this study, the statistical relationship between tropical upper-tropospheric troughs (TUTTs) and the initiation of summertime tropical-depression type disturbances (TDDs) over the western and central North Pacific is investigated. By applying a spatiotemporal filter to the 34-year record of brightness temperature and using JRA-55 reanalysis products, TDD-event initiations are detected and classified as trough-related (TR) or non-trough-related (non-TR). The conventional understanding is that TDDs originate primarily in the lower-troposphere; our results refine this view by revealing that approximately 30% of TDDs in the 10°N-20°N latitude ranges are generated under the influence of TUTTs. Lead-lag composite analysis of both TR- and non-TR-TDDs clarifies that TR-TDDs occur under relatively dry and less convergent large-scale conditions in the lower-troposphere. This result suggests that TR-TDDs can form in a relatively unfavorable low-level environment. The three-dimensional structure of the wave activity flux reveals southward and downward propagation of wave energy in the upper troposphere that converges at the mid-troposphere around the region where TR-TDDs occur, suggesting the existence of extratropical forcing. Further, the role of dynamic forcing associated with the TUTT on the TR-TDD-initiation is analyzed using the quasi-geostrophic omega equation. The result reveals that moistening in the mid-to-upper troposphere takes place in association with the sustained dynamical ascent at the southeast side of the TUTT, which precedes the occurrence of deep convective heating. Along with a higher convective available potential energy due to the destabilizing effect of TUTTs, the moistening in the mid-to-upper troposphere also helps to prepare the environment favorable to TDDs initiation.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Calbet ◽  
Niobe Peinado-Galan ◽  
Pilar Ripodas ◽  
Tim Trent ◽  
Ruud Dirksen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Radiosonde soundings from the GRUAN data record are shown to be consistent with IASI measured radiances via the LBLRTM radiative transfer model in the part of the spectrum that is mostly affected by water vapour absorption in the upper troposphere (from 700 hPa up). This result is key to have consistency between radiosonde and satellite measurements for climate data records, since GRUAN, IASI and LBLRTM constitute reference measurements in each of their fields. This is specially the case for night time radiosonde measurements. Although the sample size is small (16 cases), day time GRUAN radiosonde measurements seem to have a small dry bias of 2.5 % in absolute terms of relative humidity, located mainly in the upper troposphere, with respect to LBLRTM and IASI.


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