Probability Estimates of Cloud-Obscured Line-of-Sight

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the basic relationships between the climatic frequency distribution of sky cover and the frequency and duration of Cloudy-Lines-of-Sight (CLOS) from one or more ground sites to points in space. Through a series of model calculations, estimates are made of the incremental changes in CLOS persistence and recurrence that correspond to changes in the climatic frequency of overcast, broken, scattered and clear sky conditions. The determination of CLOS recurrence and persistence probability were made using the bivariate normal distribution. The analytical stochastic model is based upon the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck class of the simple Markov process. A discussion of the procedures for modeling CLOS behavior is given in a previous report. Model results are presented for CLOS as a function of sky cover and path sight, CLOS recurrence and persistence probability relative to fixed categories of sky cover, and both single and multiple site CLOS recurrence and persistence probability relative to fixed categories of sky cover, and both single and multiple site CLOS recurrence and persistence probabilities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 30, 1990
Accession Number
ADA231151

Entities

People

  • Wayne S. Hering

Organizations

  • Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Atmospheric Sciences
  • Cloud Cover
  • Clouds
  • Databases
  • Downtime
  • Frequency
  • Ground Based
  • Line Of Sight
  • Markov Processes
  • Normal Distribution
  • Probability
  • Probability Distributions
  • Relaxation Time
  • Space Sciences
  • Time Intervals
  • United States

Readers

  • Climatology
  • Database Systems and Applications
  • Mathematical Modeling and Probability Theory.

Technology Areas

  • Space