An Objective Technique for Estimating Large-Scale Flow Pattern in the Tropical Upper Troposphere from Digitized Cloud Brightness Data,
Abstract
An objective technique is proposed to use digitized satellite cloud brightness data to estimate large-scale flow patterns over data-void tropical regions. It is basically a diagnostic model which assumes: (1) area-averaged cloud brightness is positively correlated with large-scale divergence in the tropical upper troposphere; and (2) large-scale tropical flow is quasi-barotropic and quasi-non-divergent. It can be used at any upper level where divergence is important in determining vorticity. The model requires: (1) boundary conditions determined from surrounding wind reports, (2) a mean zonal flow determined from climatology, and (3) an equivalent divergence forcing function constructed empirically from the brightness data. The technique is tested daily over a western North Pacific region for July-August 1971.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1974
- Accession Number
- ADA001252
Entities
People
- Frederick T. Jacobs
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School