Some applications of humidity profiles estimated from INSAT infra red digital cloud imagery data

Abstract

Moisture profiles have been estimated over the region bounded by the latitudes 40~ and 40~ and longitudes 30~ to 130~ using INSAT digital infra red cloud imagery data. The representativeness of these profiles in representing moisture field associated with the development and movement of synoptic scale systems during the period September 15th, 1996 to March 31st, 1997 has been examined. It has been shown that the changes in the moisture field associated with the withdrawal of the southwest and northeast monsoons from the Indian sub-continent, development and movement of synoptic scale sytems (depressions, tropical cyclones and waves in easterlies) and equatorial troughs in the Indian Ocean could be clearly seen in humidity profiles. The initial development of tropical systems is first seen in the humidity field in the upper troposphere. These profiles could be used in monitoring the initial development and subsequent movement of tropical systems. Further the data on moisture distribution from the data gap regions of the Indian Ocean could be used as an additional source of moisture in numerical analysis and prognosis.

Some applications of humidity profiles estimated from INSAT infra red digital cloud imagery data

“…The method is relatively simple as it uses a total of only nineteen profiles for representing moisture in the troposphere. An examination of these profiles during the period May-June 1994 (Prasad et al 1996) showed that the profiles are able to clearly delineate the build-up of moisture in the vertical and its northward propagation associated with the onset of the southwest monsoon. In the present paper we have examined these profiles in relation to the development of synoptic scale systems and their movement over the Indian Ocean region.…”