Error Analyses of Operational Satellite Soundings of Vertical Temperature Profiles.
Abstract
Satellite observations have the ability to determine meteorological conditions over inaccessible or unfriendly territory. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) has two satellites (Bird 8531 and 9532) that provide infrared radiance data on a routine basis for operational applications at the Air Force Global Weather Center (AFGWC). Multi-spectral infrared radiometers operating at identical wavelengths on each of the satellites are used to interrogate different depths in the atmosphere to derive air temperature profile information. AFGWC has a sophisticated computer program that operates upon satellite radiance observations using their 12-hour forecast temperature fields as a first guess to derive a measure of the temperature profile. Errors are especially noticeable in the lower troposphere near the earth's surface and in the tropopause region. This report describes an analytical and a statistical approach to isolate the largest error sources and to suggest promising avenues for operation improvement.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 31, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA051125
Entities
People
- B. Richard Fow
- Donald E. Gustafson
- Wayne D. Mount
- William Ledsham