Determination of integrated water vapor over Antarctica utilizing special sensor microwave temperature-2 (SSM/T-2) data /
Detemining water vapor accurately over Antarctica is
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
1997.
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| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=736824781&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | Detemining water vapor accurately over Antarctica is necessary to understand the global energy cycle. Water vapor over Antarctica plays a significant role in local energy balance, thus affecting outgoing longwave radiation, which, in turn, affects the global energy balance. Conventional radiosonde data and station data are relatively scarce compared to satellite data and are commonly used in weather analyses or climate firstguess fields. Therefore, a radiative transfer model has been developed from first principles in atmospheric physics to determine integrated water vapor over Antarctica utilizing brightness temperatures from two channels of the Special Sensor Microwave Temperature-2 (SSM/T-2) instrument, the 183.313︢ GHz and 183.317︢ GHz channels. Results indicate that the satellite water vapor retrievals are capable of rendering more accurate water vapor fields and weather not previously seen in ECMWF analyses, including the characteristic comma-shaped cyclonic activity, thus serving to improve present understanding of weather and climate over Antarctica. The relationship between retrieved water vapor and surface temperature has also been determined for July, 1994. Mean integrated water vapor data are sorted in 1 K surface temperature increments and plotted against the surface temperature, in an effort to provide a relationship for use in climate and weather models. Mean integrated water vapor values range from 250 g/m2 (0.25 mm) over the interior of the continent to 3000 g/m2 (3 mm) over the coastline. A discussion of standard deviation in retrieved water vapor averages as well as total standard deviation is also presented. In addition sample retrieved reflectivity values are presented. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Meteorology". In title, numerals are used. |
| Physical Description: | xii, 137 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references: pages 130-135. |