Using Radio Occultations to Assess the Uncertainty of Moisture in the Tropical Troposphere
Abstract
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) satellites are constantly orbiting the Earth in a Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km. GNSS satellites in MEO continuously direct signals towards Earth for terrestrial users, but some signals are bent or refracted back into space. Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites equipped with the proper equipment can receive these radio occultations (RO) and transmit them to ground stations for processing and dissemination. RO data produces profiles or atmospheric soundings of water vapor, temperature, and pressure. This research uses RO profiles to expose the uncertainty of moisture in the tropical troposphere. The tropical tropospheres moisture uncertainty is critical for determining if convection occurs and assessing updraft strength and buoyancy in the planetary boundary layer to determine intensity. Moisture uncertainty above the planetary boundary layer impacts how detrimental entrainment can be for the generation of thunderstorms. Cloud Model 1 (CM1) numerical simulations demonstrate how moisture uncertainty will affect thunderstorm forecasts. Quantifying uncertainty in the tropical troposphere and demonstrating its effects is critical for improving forecasts in the tropics, where the Navy is commonly operating.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1164796
Entities
People
- Michael Jr Adamski
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School