Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Toward the Assimilation of the Atmospheric Surface Layer Using Numerical Weather Prediction and Radar Clutter Observations

Ali Karimian Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Caglar Yardim Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Tracy Haack Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, California

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Peter Gerstoft Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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William S. Hodgkiss Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California

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Ted Rogers Atmospheric Propagation Branch, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, California

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Print Publication:
01 Oct 2013
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/JAMC-D-12-0320.1
Page(s):
2345–2355
Restricted access

Abstract

Radio wave propagation on low-altitude paths over the ocean above 2 GHz is significantly affected by negative refractivity gradients in the atmospheric surface layer, which form what is often referred to as an evaporation duct (ED). Refractivity from clutter (RFC) is an inversion approach for the estimation of the refractivity profile from radar clutter, and RFC-ED refers to its implementation for the case of evaporation ducts. An approach for fusing RFC-ED output with evaporation duct characterization that is based on ensemble forecasts from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model is examined here. Three conditions of air–sea temperature difference (ASTD) are examined. Synthetic radar clutter observations are generated using the Advanced Propagation Model. The impacts of ASTD on the evaporation duct refractivity profile, atmospheric parameter inversion, and propagation factor distributions are studied. Relative humidity at a reference height and ASTD are identified as state variables. Probability densities from NWP ensembles, RFC-ED, and joint inversions are compared. It is demonstrated that characterization of the near-surface atmosphere by combining RFC-ED and NWP reduces the estimation uncertainty of ASTD and relative humidity in an evaporation duct, with respect to using either method alone.

Corresponding author address: Ali Karimian, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 291 Rosecrans St., San Diego, CA 92106. E-mail: alik@ucsd.edu

Abstract

Radio wave propagation on low-altitude paths over the ocean above 2 GHz is significantly affected by negative refractivity gradients in the atmospheric surface layer, which form what is often referred to as an evaporation duct (ED). Refractivity from clutter (RFC) is an inversion approach for the estimation of the refractivity profile from radar clutter, and RFC-ED refers to its implementation for the case of evaporation ducts. An approach for fusing RFC-ED output with evaporation duct characterization that is based on ensemble forecasts from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model is examined here. Three conditions of air–sea temperature difference (ASTD) are examined. Synthetic radar clutter observations are generated using the Advanced Propagation Model. The impacts of ASTD on the evaporation duct refractivity profile, atmospheric parameter inversion, and propagation factor distributions are studied. Relative humidity at a reference height and ASTD are identified as state variables. Probability densities from NWP ensembles, RFC-ED, and joint inversions are compared. It is demonstrated that characterization of the near-surface atmosphere by combining RFC-ED and NWP reduces the estimation uncertainty of ASTD and relative humidity in an evaporation duct, with respect to using either method alone.

Corresponding author address: Ali Karimian, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 291 Rosecrans St., San Diego, CA 92106. E-mail: alik@ucsd.edu
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Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

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