On the Use of Satellite-Derived Heating Rates for Data Assimilation within the Tropics

William A. Heckley European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, England

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Graeme Kelly European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, England

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Michael Tiedtke European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, England

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Abstract

The HIRS instrument on the NOAA polar orbiting satellites is used to obtain coverage of outward-going longwave radiation across the global tropics and subtropics four times a day. Fractional coverage of cold cloud is obtained from this, which is then interpreted as rainfall rates. This information is introduced into the ECMWF data assimilation system as diabatic heating through the nonlinear normal-mode initialization scheme. Substantial impact on the analyses is found.

Abstract

The HIRS instrument on the NOAA polar orbiting satellites is used to obtain coverage of outward-going longwave radiation across the global tropics and subtropics four times a day. Fractional coverage of cold cloud is obtained from this, which is then interpreted as rainfall rates. This information is introduced into the ECMWF data assimilation system as diabatic heating through the nonlinear normal-mode initialization scheme. Substantial impact on the analyses is found.

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