The Arm Program's Water Vapor Intensive Observation Periods

Revercomb, Henry E.; Turner, David D.; Tobin, David C.; Knuteson, Robert O.; Feltz, Wayne F.; Barnard, James C.; Bösenberg, Jens; Clough, S. A.; Cook, David; Ferrare, R. A.; Goldsmith, J.; Gutman, S. I.; Halthore, R. N.; Lesht, Barry M.; Liljegren, J. C.; Linné, Holger; Michalsky, Joseph; Morris, V. R.; Porch, W.M.; Richardson, Scott J.; Schmid, Beat; Splitt, M. E.; Hove, Teresa Van; Westwater, Ed R.; Whiteman, David N.

doi:10.1175/bams-84-2-217

Cited by 125 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The radiosondebased PWV (denoted as radiosonde-PWV) is obtained using equation (9), where z w is derived from equation (13) and the weighted mean temperature T m is derived from e and T according to equation (11). As shown in many GNSS meteorology studies, the radiosondes are currently the most reliable in situ measurements of pressure, temperature, and water vapor [Rocken et al, 1995;Niell et al, 2001;Revercomb et al, 2003]. The accuracy of radiosonde-PWV is better than 1.5 mm [Tregoning et al, 1998].…”

Section: Radiosonde Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Real‐time retrieval of precipitable water vapor from GPS precise point positioning

et al. 2014

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Sensing of precipitable water vapor (PWV) using the Global Positioning System (GPS) has been intensively investigated in the past 2 decades. However, it still remains a challenging task at a high temporal resolution and in the real-time mode. In this study the accuracy of real-time zenith total delay (ZTD) and PWV using the GPS precise point positioning (PPP) technique is investigated. GPS observations in a 1 month period from 20 globally distributed stations are selected for testing. The derived real-time ZTDs at most stations agree well with the tropospheric products from the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service, and the root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) are <13 mm, which meet the threshold value of 15 mm if ZTDs are input to numerical weather prediction models. The RMSE of the retrieved PWVs in comparison with the radiosonde-derived values are ≤3 mm, which is the threshold RMSE of PWVs as inputs to weather nowcasting. The theoretical accuracy of PWVs is also discussed, and 3 mm quality of PWVs is proved achievable in different temperature and humidity conditions. This implies that the real-time GPS PPP technique can be complementary to current atmospheric sounding systems, especially for nowcasting of extreme weather due to its real-time, all-day, and all-weather capabilities and high temporal resolutions.

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Section: Radiosonde Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Real‐time retrieval of precipitable water vapor from GPS precise point positioning

et al. 2014

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“…However, there are few long term datasets. Water vapour observations from microwave radiometers and other instruments have been collected by the US Atmospheric Radiation Program (ARM) since the mid 1990s (Revercomb et al, 2003). A radiometer based in Onsala, Sweden has been operating on a campaign basis since 1980 and on a continual basis since 1993.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tropospheric water vapour above Switzerland over the last 12 years

Morland

Coen²,

Hocke

et al. 2009

Atmos. Chem. Phys.

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Abstract. Integrated Water vapour (IWV) has been measured since 1994 by the TROWARA microwave radiometer in Bern, Switzerland. Homogenization techniques were used to identify and correct step changes in IWV related to instrument problems. IWV from radiosonde, GPS and sun photometer (SPM) was used in the homogenisation process as well as partial IWV columns between valley and mountain weather stations. The average IWV of the homogenised TROWARA time series was 14.4 mm over the 1996-2007 period, with maximum and minimum monthly average values of 22.4 mm and 8 mm occurring in August and January, respectively. A weak diurnal cycle in TROWARA IWV was detected with an amplitude of 0.32 mm, a maximum at 21:00 UT and a minimum at 11:00 UT. For 1996-2007, TROWARA trends were compared with those calculated from the Payerne radiosonde and the closest ECMWF grid point to Bern. Using least squares analysis, the IWV time series of radiosondes at Payerne, ECMWF, and TROWARA showed consistent positive trends from 1996 to 2007. The radiosondes measured an IWV trend of 0.45±0.29%/y, the TROWARA radiometer observed a trend of 0.39±0.44%/y, and ECMWF operational analysis gave a trend of 0.25±0.34%/y. Since IWV has a strong and variable annual cycle, a seasonal trend analysis (Mann-Kendall analysis) was also performed. The seasonal trends are stronger by a factor 10 or so compared to the full year trends above. The positive IWV trends of the summer months are partly compensated by the negative trends of the winter months. The strong seasonal trends of IWV on regional scale underline the necessity of long-term monitoring of IWV for detection,understanding, and forecast of climate change effects in the Alpine region.

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“…Various studies have compared the measurement accuracy and operational limitations of water vapor retrievals by sounding balloons and the ground-and space-based instruments mentioned here (Revercomb et al 2003).…”

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confidence: 99%

Measuring Total Column Water Vapor by Pointing an Infrared Thermometer at the Sky

Mims¹,

Chambers

Brooks

2011

Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

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W ater vapor is the constituent of the atmosphere that is most responsible for weather, the hydrological cycle, and the maintenance of Earth's temperature within a range that supports life as we know it (Mockler 1995). Furthermore, water vapor condensed on sulfate and other hygroscopic aerosols can significantly increase the aerosol optical thickness of the atmosphere (Tang 1996).The direct and indirect influence of water vapor on weather, climate, and the environment is so important that there is significant interest in techniques for inferring its vertical distribution and its total abundance in a vertical column through the atmosphere. The latter parameter, the measurement of which is the central subject of this paper, is variously described as  A $20 infrared thermometer pointed at the cloud-free zenith sky can measure precipitable water vapor about as well as a sun photometer, and it can do so during the day or night.Readings from this infrared thermometer (foreground) were compared with total water vapor measured by the nearby NOAA GPS receiver at Hawaii's Mauna Loa Observatory.

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The Arm Program's Water Vapor Intensive Observation Periods

Cited by 125 publications

References 33 publications

Real‐time retrieval of precipitable water vapor from GPS precise point positioning

Real‐time retrieval of precipitable water vapor from GPS precise point positioning

Tropospheric water vapour above Switzerland over the last 12 years

Measuring Total Column Water Vapor by Pointing an Infrared Thermometer at the Sky

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