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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Keywords

  • atmospheric boundary layer
  • remote sensing
  • radio occultation

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Processes: Remote sensing
  • Atmospheric Processes: Instruments and techniques
  • Radio Science: Remote sensing
  • Radio Science: Instruments and techniques

Abstract

Observing the moist troposphere with radio occultation signals from COSMIC

S. V. Sokolovskiy

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

C. Rocken

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

D. H. Lenschow

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

Y.-H. Kuo

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

R. A. Anthes

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

W. S. Schreiner

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

D. C. Hunt

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA

New approaches for observing the moist troposphere using radio occultation (RO) signals transformed to impact parameter representation by radio-holographic (RH) methods are presented. Large changes in the RH bending angle are used as indicators of significant vertical refractivity gradients that often occur on top of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL), convective cloud layers such as the trade-wind inversion, and other moist layers in the free troposphere. RH amplitude fluctuations are used as an indicator of turbulence in the moist troposphere. The approaches are demonstrated using RO data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) mission from September 2006. The global distributions of the ABL depths and tops of moist convective layers derived from COSMIC RO data correspond generally to the observed locations and structures of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and adjacent sub-tropical regions. The approaches are suitable for investigations of the temporal and spatial ABL variability.

Received 22 April 2007; accepted 14 August 2007; published 18 September 2007.

Citation: Sokolovskiy, S. V., C. Rocken, D. H. Lenschow, Y.-H. Kuo, R. A. Anthes, W. S. Schreiner, and D. C. Hunt (2007), Observing the moist troposphere with radio occultation signals from COSMIC, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L18802, doi:10.1029/2007GL030458.

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