An Evaluation of Selected Virtual Temperature Data Acquired at the APRF in 1994.
Abstract
Composite vertical profiles of virtual temperature within the boundary layer and troposphere over White Sands Missile Range, NM using Radio Acoustic Sounding Systems (RASS) data were first made available over the Internet in Feb 94. The composite virtual temperature profiles are based on selected levels of air temperature from a fixed tower and from the RASS associated with 924. 404 and 50-MHz radar profilers located at the Atmospheric Profiler Research Facility . Three questions arose with respect to these profiles: (1) how well do they compare with corresponding radiosonde temperature profiles, (2) were the RASS levels selected for each profiler optimal, and (3) how could automatic quality-control procedures be improved? To address these questions, a set of composite virtual temperature profiles corresponding to a special series of radiosonde release. from a nearby site from Mar through Jul 94 were analyzed. As a result of these analyses, a revised set of RASS levels to be used with each profiler is proposed and an improved set of quality control criteria for application to the 404MHz RASS data is suggested Comparisons of the 924- and 404-MHz RASS virtual temperature with the corresponding radiosonde temperatures revealed that thi agreement was less than or equal to 2.0 0C in 74 and S8 percent, respectively, of the comparisons. In those cases when either the profilers of the radiosondes showed temperature inversions, there was no corresponding inversion in the other profile. The inversion problem merits further investigation. (MM)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA296570
Entities
People
- Glenn B. Hoidale
- Linda Parker-sedillo
- Wayne L. Flowers
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory