Comparison of satellite-derived MSU brightness temperatures and conventionally-derived fields
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Authors
Parke, Matthew C.
Subjects
NA
Advisors
Hirschberg, Paul A.
Wash, Carlyle H.
Date of Issue
1994-12
Date
December 1994
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
A statistical analysis is performed on a six-month global data set consisting of satellite-derived channel 3 Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) brightness-temperatures from the Marshall Space Flight Center and various conventionally-derived fields obtained from the National Meteorological Center Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) to quantify the potential usefulness of MSU analyses in the nowcasting and forecasting of baroclinic waves especially over data sparse regions. High positive spatial and temporal correlations are obtained between the MSU and the 400-100 mb thickness over all wavelengths in the data. Slightly lesser positive correlations are found between the MSU and the 200-mb temperature. The MSU-500-mb and MSU-50-mb height correlations indicate a scale dependence in the hydrostatic spreading of thickness anomalies in the vertical. Most significantly, relatively high negative MSU-500-mb height correlations for the short (less than synoptic scale) wavelength portion of the data suggest that upper-level thermal anomalies are reflected downwards and that the MSU can be used to track mid-level synoptic-scale baroclinic waves. This conclusion is also suggested in MSU-500-mb vorticity and MSU-dynamic tropopause correlations. A MSU collection and analysis procedure is also described that demonstrates the practicality and usefulness of generating MSU analyses from locally obtained polar-orbiter data.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
103 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.