scholarly journals A New Method to Correct Radiosonde Temperature Biases Using Radio Occultation Data

2017 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 1643-1661 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordis S. Tradowsky ◽  
Chris P. Burrows ◽  
Sean B. Healy ◽  
John R. Eyre
Keyword(s):  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Elevation Angle ◽  
New Method ◽  
Retrieval Algorithm ◽  
Temperature Bias ◽  
Linear Version ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

AbstractA new method to estimate radiosonde temperature biases using radio occultation measurements as a reference has been developed. The bias is estimated as the difference between mean radio occultation and mean radiosonde departures from collocated profiles extracted from the Met Office global numerical weather prediction (NWP) system. Using NWP background profiles reduces the impact of spatial and temporal collocation errors. The use of NWP output also permits determination of the lowest level at which the atmosphere is sufficiently dry to analyze radio occultation dry temperature retrievals. The authors demonstrate the advantages of using a new tangent linear version of the dry temperature retrieval algorithm to propagate bending angle departures to dry temperature departures. This reduces the influence of a priori assumptions compared to a nonlinear retrieval. Radiosonde temperature biases, which depend on altitude and the solar elevation angle, are presented for five carefully chosen upper-air sites and show strong intersite differences, with biases exceeding 2 K at one of the sites. If implemented in NWP models to correct radiosonde temperature biases prior to assimilation, this method could aid the need for consistent anchor measurements in the assimilation system. The method presented here is therefore relevant to NWP centers, and the results will be of interest to the radiosonde community by providing site-specific temperature bias profiles. The new tangent linear version of the linear Abel transform and the hydrostatic integration are described in the interests of the radio occultation community.

The impact of London on a low-level jet

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aristofanis Tsiringakis ◽  
Natalie Theeuwes ◽  
Janet Barlow ◽  
Gert-Jan Steeneveld
Keyword(s):  
Urban Area ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Vertical Mixing ◽  
Forecasting Model ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Low Level Jet ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction Models

<p>The low-level jet (LLJ) is an important phenomenon that can affect (and is affected by) the turbulence in the nocturnal urban boundary layer (UBL). We investigate the interaction of a regional LLJ with the UBL during a 2-day period over London. Observations from two Doppler Lidars and two numerical weather prediction models (Weather Research & Forecasting model and UKV Met Office Unified Model) are used to compared the LLJ characteristics (height, speed and fall-off) between a urban (London) and a rural (Chilbolton) site. We find that LLJs are elevated (70m) over London, due to the deeper UBL, an effect of the increased vertical mixing over the urban area and the difference in the topography between the two sites. Wind speed and fall-off are slightly reduced with respect to the rural LLJ. The effects of the urban area and the surrounding topography on the LLJ characteristics over London are isolated through idealized sensitivity experiments. We find that topography strongly affects the LLJ characteristics (height, falloff, and speed), but there is still a substantial urban influence.</p>

Noise reduction of enhanced acoustic balconies on a high-rise building block

2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (1) ◽  
pp. 5327-5334
Author(s):  
SK Tang ◽  
Rudolf YC Lee
Keyword(s):  
Noise Reduction ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Elevation Angle ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Indoor Space ◽  
New Device ◽  
Air Inlet ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

A new device called 'enhanced acoustic balcony' is installed in a new housing estate in Hong Kong. It is intended to help reduce the impact of traffic noise on the residents. This balcony is basically an enlarged form of a plenum window and with three openings. Apart from the outdoor air inlet, there is the balcony door and a side-hung window on the interior balcony wall for natural ventilation of the indoor space. Sound absorption of NRC 0.7 is installed on the balcony ceiling and its sidewall facing the incoming traffic noise and an inclined panel is installed outside the balcony to provide noise screening. A site measurement of its noise reduction is carried out in the present study in a newly completed housing block. A 28 m long loudspeaker array is used as the sound source. The indoor noise levels are measured according to ISO standard. The results show that the difference between indoor and outdoor noise levels in the presence of this balcony form varies over a relatively narrow range between 10 to 13 dBA for an elevation angle from 25 to 60 deg. There is a weak increase of the noise level difference with elevation angle.

scholarly journals Ionospheric Peak Parameters Retrieved from FY-3C Radio Occultation: A Statistical Comparison with Measurements from COSMIC RO and Digisondes Over the Globe

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1419
Author(s):  
Han Wang ◽  
Jia Luo ◽  
Xiaohua Xu
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Correlation Coefficient ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Elevation Angle ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Comparison Results ◽  
Standard Deviations ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Solar Activity Period

In this study, two ionospheric peak parameters (ICPs), NmF2 and hmF2, derived from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) ionospheric electron density profiles (EDPs) obtained by Feng-Yun 3C (FY-3C) mission are compared with those derived from the observations of the Constellation Observing System for the Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) mission and the measurements from 24 digisonde stations distributed around the world during the year from 2014 to 2017. The FY-3C derived ICPs and the COSMIC-derived ICPs are provided by the National Satellite Meteorological Centre (NSMC) and the COSMIC Data Analysis and Archive Center (CDAAC), respectively. The correlation and bias analyses are carried out in the comparison under the collocation criterion with the time interval of 1 h and the space interval of 3° in latitude and 5° in longitude. When comparing the ICPs derived from the two RO missions, the difference in the azimuth of occultation planes (DAOPs) between the matched pairs is limited to be within 20°. The comparison results are analyzed for different solar activity periods, and solar elevation angle (SEA) is taken for the first time as a factor that represents the comprehensive impacts of latitude zones, seasons, and local time of the observations. The results are shown as follows: (1) Both the COSMIC RO-derived and the digisonde-observed ICPs are in good agreement with the FY-3C RO-derived ones. The correlation coefficient (CC) between the NmF2 and hmF2 derived by COSMIC RO and FY-3C RO is 0.965 and 0.916, respectively, while the correlation coefficient between the NmF2 and hmF2 derived by digisonde and FY-3C RO is 0.924 and 0.832, respectively. The quality of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs are reliable enough for further applications. (2) The CC of NmF2 is, in general, higher than that of hmF2 when comparing FY-3C RO with other observations, and the overall MAB and MRB of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs during the higher solar activity period are higher than the ones during the lower solar activity period. The difference between the two RO missions is much smaller than that one between FY-3C RO and digisonde. (3) For a certain solar activity period, the standard deviations of the absolute bias (SDAB) and the standard deviations of the relative bias (SDRB) of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs compared with digisonde-derived ones generally increases with the increase of SEA, while the SDAB and SDRB of FY-3C RO-derived ICPs both get the minimum values for the AOP interval near to 90°.

Surface Emissivity Impact on Temperature and Moisture Soundings from Hyperspectral Infrared Radiance Measurements

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1225-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhigang Yao ◽  
Jun Li ◽  
Jinlong Li ◽  
Hong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Retrieval Algorithm ◽  
Surface Emissivity ◽  
Angle Dependence ◽  
Infrared Radiance ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
The Impact

AbstractAn accurate land surface emissivity (LSE) is critical for the retrieval of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles along with land surface temperature from hyperspectral infrared (IR) sounder radiances; it is also critical to assimilating IR radiances in numerical weather prediction models over land. To investigate the impact of different LSE datasets on Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) sounding retrievals, experiments are conducted by using a one-dimensional variational (1DVAR) retrieval algorithm. Sounding retrievals using constant LSE, the LSE dataset from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), and the baseline fit dataset from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are performed. AIRS observations over northern Africa on 1–7 January and 1–7 July 2007 are used in the experiments. From the limited regional comparisons presented here, it is revealed that the LSE from the IASI obtained the best agreement between the retrieval results and the ECMWF reanalysis, whereas the constant LSE gets the worst results when the emissivities are fixed in the retrieval process. The results also confirm that the simultaneous retrieval of atmospheric profile and surface parameters could reduce the dependence of soundings on the LSE choice and finally improve sounding accuracy when the emissivities are adjusted in the iterative retrieval. In addition, emissivity angle dependence is investigated with AIRS radiance measurements. The retrieved emissivity spectra from AIRS over the ocean reveal weak angle dependence, which is consistent with that from an ocean emissivity model. This result demonstrates the reliability of the 1DVAR simultaneous algorithm for emissivity retrieval from hyperspectral IR radiance measurements.

scholarly journals Retrieval of temperature and water vapor profiles from radio occultation refractivity and bending angle measurements using an Optimal Estimation approach: a simulation study

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 1665-1677 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. von Engeln ◽  
G. Nedoluha
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapor ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Lower Troposphere ◽  
Optimal Estimation ◽  
Pronounced Difference ◽  
Bending Angle ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The Optimal Estimation Method is used to retrieve temperature and water vapor profiles from simulated radio occultation measurements in order to assess how different retrieval schemes may affect the assimilation of this data. High resolution ECMWF global fields are used by a state-of-the-art radio occultation simulator to provide quasi-realistic bending angle and refractivity profiles. Both types of profiles are used in the retrieval process to assess their advantages and disadvantages. The impact of the GPS measurement is expressed as an improvement over the a priori knowledge (taken from a 24h old analysis). Large improvements are found for temperature in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Only very small improvements are found in the lower troposphere, where water vapor is present. Water vapor improvements are only significant between about 1 km to 7 km. No pronounced difference is found between retrievals based upon bending angles or refractivity. Results are compared to idealized retrievals, where the atmosphere is spherically symmetric and instrument noise is not included. Comparing idealized to quasi-realistic calculations shows that the main impact of a ray tracing algorithm can be expected for low latitude water vapor, where the horizontal variability is high. We also address the effect of altitude correlations in the temperature and water vapor. Overall, we find that water vapor and temperature retrievals using bending angle profiles are more CPU intensive than refractivity profiles, but that they do not provide significantly better results.

scholarly journals A modification to the standard ionospheric correction method used in GPS radio occultation

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 3385-3393 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. B. Healy ◽  
I. D. Culverwell
Keyword(s):  
Impact Parameter ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Order Term ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Implicit Assumption ◽  
Ionospheric Correction ◽  
Gps Radio Occultation ◽  
Uncertainty Estimates ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Bending Angles

Abstract. A modification to the standard bending-angle correction used in GPS radio occultation (GPS-RO) is proposed. The modified approach should reduce systematic residual ionospheric errors in GPS radio occultation climatologies. A new second-order term is introduced in order to account for a known source of systematic error, which is generally neglected. The new term has the form κ(a) × (αL1(a)-αL2(a))2, where a is the impact parameter and (αL1, αL2) are the L1 and L2 bending angles, respectively. The variable κ is a weak function of the impact parameter, a, but it does depend on a priori ionospheric information. The theoretical basis of the new term is examined. The sensitivity of κ to the assumed ionospheric parameters is investigated in one-dimensional simulations, and it is shown that κ ≃ 10–20 rad−1. We note that the current implicit assumption is κ=0, and this is probably adequate for numerical weather prediction applications. However, the uncertainty in κ should be included in the uncertainty estimates for the geophysical climatologies produced from GPS-RO measurements. The limitations of the new ionospheric correction when applied to CHAMP (Challenging Minisatellite Payload) measurements are noted. These arise because of the assumption that the refractive index is unity at the satellite, made when deriving bending angles from the Doppler shift values.

scholarly journals Impact Assessment of Daily Satellite-Derived Surface Albedo in a Limited-Area NWP Model

2012 ◽  
Vol 51 (10) ◽  
pp. 1835-1854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jure Cedilnik ◽  
Dominique Carrer ◽  
Jean-François Mahfouf ◽  
Jean-Louis Roujean
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Short Range ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Limited Area ◽  
Model Biases ◽  
Nwp Model ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Range Forecasts

AbstractThis study examines the impact of daily satellite-derived albedos on short-range forecasts in a limited-area numerical weather prediction (NWP) model over Europe. Contrary to previous studies in which satellite products were used to derive monthly “climatologies,” a daily surface (snow free) albedo is analyzed by a Kalman filter. The filter combines optimally a satellite product derived from the Meteosat Second Generation geostationary satellite [and produced by the Land Surface Analyses–Satellite Application Facility of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT)], an albedo climatology, and a priori information given by “persistence.” The surface albedo analyzed for a given day is used as boundary conditions of the NWP model to run forecasts starting the following day. Results from short-range forecasts over a 1-yr period reveal the capacity of satellite information to reduce model biases and RMSE in screen-level temperature (during daytime and intermediate seasons). The impact on forecast scores is larger when considering the analyzed surface albedo rather than another climatologically based albedo product. From comparisons with measurements from three flux-tower stations over mostly homogeneous French forests, it is seen that the model biases in surface net radiation are significantly reduced. An impact on the whole planetary boundary layer, particularly in summer, results from the use of an observed surface albedo. An unexpected behavior produced in summer by the satellite-derived albedo on surface temperature is also explained. The forecast runs presented here, performed in dynamical adaptation mode, will be complemented later on by data assimilation experiments over typically monthly periods.

Total Column Water Vapour Retrieval from S-5P/TROPOMI in the Visible Blue Spectral Range

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Borger ◽  
Steffen Beirle ◽  
Steffen Dörner ◽  
Holger Sihler ◽  
Thomas Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapour ◽  
Spectral Range ◽  
Climate Modeling ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Vertical Column ◽  
Linearized Scheme ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Total Column

<div> <p>Atmospheric water plays a key role for the Earth’s energy budget and temperature distribution via radiative effects (clouds and vapour) and latent heat transport. Thus, the distribution and transport of water vapour are closely linked to atmospheric dynamics on different spatio-temporal scales. In this context, global monitoring of the water vapour distribution is essential for numerical weather prediction, climate modeling and a better understanding of climate feedbacks.</p> </div><div> <p>Here, we present a total column water vapour (TCWV) retrieval using the absorption structures of water vapour in the visible blue spectral range. The retrieval consists of the common two-step DOAS approach: first the spectral analysis is performed within a linearized scheme. Then, the retrieved slant column densities are converted to vertical column densities (VCDs) using an iterative scheme for the water vapour a priori profile shape which is based on an empirical parameterization of the water vapour scale height.  </p> </div><div> <p>We apply this novel retrieval to measurements of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard ESA‘s Sentinel-5P satellite and compare our retrieved H<sub>2</sub>O VCDs to a variety of different reference data sets. Furthermore we present a detailed characterization of this retrieval including theoretical error estimations for different observation conditions. In addition we investigate the impact of different input data sets (e.g. surface albedo) on the retrieved H<sub>2</sub>O VCDs.  </p> </div>

Improved impacts in observing system simulation experiments of radio occultation observations as a result of model and data assimilation changes

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. CUCURULL ◽  
S. P. F. CASEY
Keyword(s):  
Data Assimilation ◽  
Radio Occultation ◽  
Weather Forecasting ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
System Simulation ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Wind Fields ◽  
Simulation Experiments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Forward Operator

AbstractAs global data assimilation systems continue to evolve, Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) need to be updated to accurately quantify the impact of proposed observing technologies in weather forecasting. Earlier OSSEs with radio occultation (RO) observations have been updated and the impact of the originally proposed Constellation Observing Satellites for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate-2 (COSMIC-2) mission, with a high-inclination and low-inclination component, has been investigated by using the operational data assimilation system at NOAA and a 1-dimensional bending angle RO forward operator. It is found that the impact of the low-inclination component of the originally planned COSMIC-2 mission (now officially named COSMIC-2) has significantly increased as compared to earlier studies, and significant positive impact is now found globally in terms of mass and wind fields. These are encouraging results as COSMIC-2 was successfully launched in June 2019 and data have been recently released to operational weather centers. Earlier findings remain valid indicating that globally distributed RO observations are more important to improve weather prediction globally than a denser sampling of the tropical latitudes. Overall, the benefits reported here from assimilating RO soundings are much more significant than the impacts found in previous OSSEs. This is largely attributed to changes in the data assimilation and forecast system and less to the more advanced 1-dimensional forward operator chosen for the assimilation of RO observations.

scholarly journals Exploiting the sensitivity of two satellite cloud height retrievals to cloud vertical distribution

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 2623-2655
Author(s):  
C. K. Carbajal Henken ◽  
L. Doppler ◽  
R. Lindstrot ◽  
R. Preusker ◽  
J. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Absorption Band ◽  
Vertical Distribution ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Single Layer ◽  
Thermal Infrared ◽  
Vertical Extent ◽  
Cloud Height ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. This work presents a study on the sensitivity of two satellite cloud height retrievals to cloud vertical distribution. The difference in sensitivity is exploited by relating the difference in the retrieved cloud heights to cloud vertical extent. The two cloud height retrievals, performed within the Freie Universität Berlin AATSR MERIS Cloud (FAME-C) algorithm, are based on independent measurements and different retrieval techniques. First, cloud top temperature (CTT) is retrieved from Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) measurements in the thermal infrared. Second, cloud top pressure (CTP) is retrieved from Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) measurements in the oxygen-A absorption band. Both CTT and CTP are converted to cloud top height (CTH) using atmospheric profiles from a numerical weather prediction model. A sensitivity study using radiative transfer simulations in the near-infrared and thermal infrared were performed to demonstrate the larger impact of the assumed cloud vertical extinction profile on MERIS than on AATSR top-of-atmosphere measurements. The difference in retrieved CTH (ΔCTH) from AATSR and MERIS are related to cloud vertical extent (CVE) as observed by ground-based lidar and radar at three ARM sites. To increase the impact of the cloud vertical extinction profile on the MERIS-CTP retrievals, single-layer and geometrically thin clouds are assumed in the forward model. The results of the comparison to the ground-based observations were separated into single-layer and multi-layer cloud cases. Analogous to previous findings, the MERIS-CTP retrievals appear to be close to pressure levels in the middle of the cloud. Assuming a linear relationship, the ΔCTH multiplied by 2.5 gives an estimate on the CVE for single-layer clouds. The relationship is weaker for multi-layer clouds. Due to large variations of cloud vertical extinction profiles occurring in nature, a quantitative estimate of the cloud vertical extent is accompanied with large uncertainties. Yet, estimates of the CVE can contribute to the characterization of a cloudy scene. To demonstrate the plausibility of the approach, an estimate of the CVE was applied to a case study. In light of the follow-up mission Sentinel-3 with AATSR and MERIS like instruments, Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) and (Ocean and Land Colour Instrument) OLCI, respectively, for which the FAME-C algorithm can be easily adapted, a more accurate estimate of the CVE can be expected. OLCI will have three channels in the oxygen-A absorption band, thus providing more pieces of information on the cloud vertical extinction profile.

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