Variability of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere observed with GPS radio occultation bending angles and temperatures

Recently, Lewis (2009) introduced a new method for the identification of tropopause heights (TPHs) from GPS radio occultation (RO) bending angles (α)$(\alpha )$. The method uses a covariance transform to identify transitions in a ln(α)$\mathit{ln}(\alpha )$ profile. Lewis validates the results with lapse rate tropopause (LRT) heights from one year of FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC data and radiosondes. In this study we apply the new method to the RO data sets from CHAMP/GRACE (2001–2009) and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (2006–2009). These results are the basis for TPH trend estimations for the time period between May 2001 and August 2009 (100 months) based on zonal monthly mean GPS RO data from CHAMP (2001–2008), GRACE (since 2006) and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (since 2006). Further, we compare the α$\alpha$ based TPH trends with LRT height trends and discuss the differences, which are largest in the subtropical regions (20°–40°) on both the northern and southern hemisphere. A global increase of the TPH between 5 and 9 m/yr is found for both methods and different data sets (CHAMP/GRACE alone and CHAMP/GRACE plus FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC). The results for the TPH trends are linked with bending angle and temperature trends in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere region. Generally, an upper tropospheric warming (bending angle decrease) and a lower stratospheric cooling (bending angle increase) is noted.     

GRAS radio occultation on-board of Metop

The GRAS radio occultation instrument is flying on Metop-A and belongs to the EPS (EUMETSAT Polar System). GRAS observes GPS satellites in occultation. Within this work, validation of GRAS closed-loop bending angle data against co-located ECMWF profiles extracted from model fields and occultations from the COSMIC constellation of radio occultation instruments is shown. Results confirm the high data quality and robustness, where GRAS shows lower bending angle noise against ECMWF than COSMIC and in terms of occultations per day, one GRAS ≈ two COSMIC satellites. This is partly due to the operational setup of EPS. For the investigation we focus on two observation periods where updates in the ECMWF (March 2009) and COSMIC processing (October 2009) have improved the statistics further. Bending angles biases agree to within 0.5% against ECMWF and to within 0.1% against COSMIC after the updates for altitudes between 8 and 40 km. In addition, we also analyze the impact of the Metop orbit processing on the derived GRAS bending angle data, where different GPS and Metop orbit solutions are analyzed. Results show that a batch based orbit processing would improve in particular the bending angle bias behavior at higher altitudes. Requirements for the operational processing of GRAS data are briefly outlined, options to ease the use of other positioning system satellites in the near future are discussed. A simplified analysis on the observation of several of these systems, e.g. GPS and Galileo, from one platform shows that about 16% of occultations are found within 300 km, ±3 h, thus providing similar information. A constellation of 2 GRAS like instruments would have only about 10% close-by.     

观测路径和光谱分辨率对吸收性气溶胶指数的影响

吸收性气溶胶指数（AAI）在监测污染物方面有较好的应用,其反演结果受边界层高度、云高、相对湿度以及仪器指标和观测几何路径等因素影响.利用大气辐射传输模型MODTRAN,对辐射传输方程中多次散射计算的不同近似方法和不同观测几何角度下的AAI进行模拟,研究这些因素对AAI结果的作用,并分析仪器光谱分辨率对AAI探测结果的影响.结果表明,折衷考虑计算效率与精度的情况下,应选择8流近似的离散坐标法进行带有多次散射计算的辐射方程解析.AAI在不同浓度和不同类型气溶胶下随观测角度变化的趋势相同:相对方位角<120°时,AAI误差在太阳天顶角和卫星方位角均为40°～60°时最大;相对方位角在120°～180°时误差均较小;光谱分辨率对AAI反演结果无明显影响.      

Characteristics of the seasonal variation of the global tropopause revealed by COSMIC/GPS data

Using the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation observations from Formosa Satellite mission-3/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC) from 2007 to 2012, the climatological characteristics of the global tropopause was studied, with the following features identified. The overall results generally agree with previous studies. The tropopause has an obvious zonal structure, with more zonal characteristics in the Southern Hemisphere than the Northern Hemisphere. The vertical shape of the tropopause is sharp in the tropics and broad in the sub-tropical latitudes, with the sharpest latitudinal gradient in the mid-latitudes of both hemispheres. The global tropopause exists in a large range between 8 km and 17 km (or between 100 hPa and 340 hPa). The highest tropopause is over the South Asian monsoon regions for the entire year. The spatial structure of the tropopause in the polar region is of concentric structure, with an altitude between 7.5 km and 10 km. It is more symmetric in the Antarctic than the Arctic. Differing from other places, the height of the tropopause in the Antarctic is higher in winter as opposed to summer. The tropopause has distinct seasonal variability, especially in polar regions.     

Recent results on the Venus atmosphere from pioneer Venus radio occultations

Radio occultation measurements of the temperature structure of the Venus atmosphere have been obtained during seven occultation “seasons” extending from December 1978 to December 1983. Approximately 123 vertical profiles of temperature from about 40 km to about 85 km altitudes have been derived. Since these measurements cover latitudes from both poles to the equator, they have shown the latitudinal dependence of thermal structure. There is a smooth transition from the troposphere to the mesosphere at latitudes below about 45°, with the tropopause at about 56 km. The troposphere then rises to about 62 km in the “collar cloud” region between about 60° and 80° latitude, where a strong temperature inversion (up to 30 K) is present. In the polar areas, 80°–90°, the mesosphere becomes isothermal and there is no inversion. This latitudinal behavior is related to the persistent circulation pattern, in which a predominantly zonal retrograde motion at latitudes below 45° gradually changes to a circumpolar vortex at the “collar cloud” latitudes. Indeed, the radio occultation data have been used in a cyclostrophic balance model to derive zonal winds in the Venus atmosphere, which showed a mid-latitude (50°–55°) jet with a speed of about 120–140 ms^?1 at about 70 km altitude /1,2/. The observations obtained in 1983 and 1984 have shown that above the tropopause there is considerable temporal variability in the detailed thermal structure, suggesting that the persistent circulation pattern is subject to weather-like variability.     

Tropopause analysis over the Iranian region using GPS radio occultation data

Near-tropopause phenomena like upper level fronts and cyclones, penetrative cumulus convection and mesoscale mechanisms of exchange make important contributions to the mixing processes in the atmosphere. Spatio-temporal monitoring of the tropopause height, temperature and pressure is an appropriate tool to show the running processes in the atmosphere. In this study, GPS radio occultation data is used to investigate the tropopause height fluctuations and the relation between the stratosphere–troposphere exchange and the aforementioned phenomena over the Iranian region. The paper shows how the position of the sub-tropical jet has changed with time, using GPS radio occultation observations. The tropopause height changes latitudinally, and three different bimodal probability distribution functions are observed. The results also show that the mixing region in the south of Iran is associated with the subtropical jet in winter. However, this region shifts north of Iran due to changes in the position of the subtropical jet during the summer. Consistency of the mixing region from the radio occultation data and the total ozone of TOMS over the Iranian region is also observed.     

Evaluation of uncertainty in gravity wave potential energy calculations through GPS radio occultation measurements

The application of the Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) method to the atmosphere enables the determination of height profiles of temperature, among other variables. From these measurements, gravity wave activity is usually quantified by calculating the potential energy through the integration of the ratio of perturbation and background temperatures between two given altitudes in each profile. The uncertainty in the estimation of wave activity depends on the systematic biases and random errors of the measured temperature, but also on additional factors like the selected vertical integration layer and the separation method between background and perturbation temperatures. In this study, the contributions of different parameters and variables to the uncertainty in the calculation of gravity wave potential energy in the lower stratosphere are investigated and quantified. In particular, a Monte Carlo method is used to evaluate the uncertainty that results from different GPS RO temperature error distributions. In addition, our analysis shows that RO data above 30 km height becomes dubious for gravity waves potential energy calculations.     

利用COSMIC数据分析全球对流层顶温度和高度的变化特性

利用COSMIC卫星无线电掩星观测的温度数据分析了全球范围的对流层顶参量的变化特性.COSMIC多颗卫星连续观测的温度数据有很好的全球覆盖和很好的垂直分辨率,是分析全球范围对流层顶变化的重要探测数据.经过数据筛选,得到日平均温度的全年分布数据.采用大气温度递减率判据得到对流层顼温度和对流层顶高度的全球分布和变化.结果表明,全球范国内的对流层顶温度和对流层顶高度分布的基本结果与利用无线电探空资料和欧洲气象局再分析数据得到的结果基本一致;对流层项温度和对流层顶高度呈现明显的季节变化,赤道附近和中纬度地区的对流层顶高度变化与高纬地区的对流层顶高度变化出现反相:对流层顶温度和高度的变化呈现明显的南北半球不对称性.     

Measurements of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during tropical cyclones using the GPS radio occultation technique

Water vapour transport to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere by deep convective storms affects the radiation balance of the atmosphere and has been proposed as an important component of climate change. The aim of the work presented here is to understand if the GPS radio occultation technique is useful for characterization of this process. Our assessment addresses the question if severe storms leave a significant signature in radio occultation profiles in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere. Radio occultation data from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) were analyzed, focusing on two particular tropical cyclones with completely different characteristics, the hurricane Bertha, which formed in the Atlantic Basin during July 2008 and reached a maximum intensity of Category 3, and the typhoon Hondo, which formed in the south Indian Ocean during 2008 reaching a maximum intensity of Category 4. The result is positive, suggesting that the bending angle of a GPS radio occultation signal contains interesting information on the atmosphere around the tropopause, but not any information regarding the water vapour. The maximum percentage anomaly of bending angle between 14 and 18 km of altitude during tropical cyclones is typically larger than the annual mean by 5–15% and it can reach 20% for extreme cases. The results are discussed in connection to the GPS radio occultation receiver which will be part of the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) payload on the International Space Station.     

Sensitivity analysis for air temperature profile estimation methods around the tropopause using simulated Aqua/AIRS data

A sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate potential improvements to the accuracy of air temperature profile retrievals near the tropopause. A simple inversion method is employed to identify and remove redundant spectral channels from the retrievals using simulated data for the high-spectral resolution sounder AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) on the Aqua satellite. Bayesian optimal theory and inverse technique are applied for the atmospheric temperature profile retrievals, and the 15 μm CO₂ absorption bands (620–750 cm⁻¹) are chosen for this study. Sequentially elimination of redundant channels is directly integrated into the inverse scheme for the temperature profile, in order to accurately retain the valuable channels and remove all the redundant channels, for accurate retrieval of the temperature profile. Also, the tropopause and troposphere are treated differently in the inverse scheme to improve the retrieval accuracy in the tropopause. Results of a sensitivity analysis based on this method, for the Tropical and Middle-Latitude Summer models simulated by MODTRAN4.0, show that the estimated accuracies are improved by 2 K around the tropopause, and are only changed by less than 0.2 K in the troposphere.     

伪距波动原因中的星体多径因素排除

针对卫星可视弧段内伪距测量异常波动现象,从信号质量监测角度研究了卫星可视弧段内导航信号测距偏差变化问题,确认伪距波动是否由星体多径引起.利用大口径天线跟踪北斗卫星,采用两套采集设备实现了卫星可视弧段内的B1频点信号多次高载噪比采集,根据基于参考波形的测距偏差估计方法分别处理多组采集数据,获得了不同仰角上的测距偏差.在一个仰角下的采集数据,当滤波器带宽远远大于信号带宽时,采样率与下变频器均不同的两套采集设备获得的测距偏差相同,且测距偏差均与相关间距及滤波器带宽有关,但当滤波器带宽超过15MHz后,测距偏差的差异可以忽略.比较不同仰角下的测距偏差,在卫星可视弧段内测距偏差变化很小,因此认为星体多径引起卫星可视弧段内信号质量的变化不是伪距测量异常波动的原因.      

Assessment of precision in ionospheric electron density profiles retrieved by GPS radio occultations

The Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere and Climate (COSMIC) is a six satellite radio occultation mission that was launched in April 2006. The close proximity of these satellites during some months after launch provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the precision of Global Positioning System (GPS) radio occultation (RO) retrievals of ionospheric electron density from nearly collocated and simultaneous observations. RO data from 30 consecutive days during July and August 2006 are divided into ten groups in terms of daytime or nighttime and latitude. In all cases, the best precision values (about 1%) are found at the F peak height and they slightly degrade upwards. For all daytime groups, it is seen that electron density profiles above about 120 km height exhibit a substantial improvement in precision. Nighttime groups are rather diverse: in particular, the precision becomes better than 10% above different levels between 120 and 200 km height. Our overall results show that up to 100–200 km (depending on each group), the uncertainty associated with the precision is in the order of the measured electron density values. Even worse, the retrieved values tend sometimes to be negative. Although we cannot rely directly on electron density values at these altitudes, the shape of the profiles could be indicative of some ionospheric features (e.g. waves and sporadic E layers). Above 200 km, the profiles of precision are qualitatively quite independent from daytime or latitude. From all the nearly collocated pairs studied, only 49 exhibited a difference between line of sight angles of both RO at the F peak height larger than 10°. After analyzing them we find no clear indications of a significant representativeness error in electron density profiles due to the spherical assumption above 120 km height. Differences in precision between setting and rising GPS RO may be attributed to the modification of the processing algorithms applied to rising cases during the initial period of the COSMIC mission.     

Zonal mean temperature, pressure, zonal wind and geopotential height as functions of latitude

The new zonal mean COSPAR International Reference Atmosphere (CIRA-86) of temperature, zonal wind, and geopotential/geometric height is presented. This data can be used as a function of altitude or pressure and has nearly pole-to-pole coverage (80°S-80°N) extending from the ground to approximately 120 km. Data sources and methods of computation are described; in general, hydrostatic and thermal wind balance are maintained at all levels and latitudes. As shown by a series of cross sectional plots, the new CIRA accurately reproduces most of the characteristic features of the atmosphere such as the equatorial wind and the general structure of the tropopause, stratopause, and mesopause.     

An empirical model of the F1 intermediate layer true-height characteristics

By using data from a low middle latitude station (San Juan: 31.5°S; 68.5°W) it is shown that the electron density and true height of the inflection point that characterizes, in most of the cases, the ionospheric layer F1 are linearly correlatedto fF1 and h′F2. It is shown that fF1 is also correlated to the electron density at fixed heights around 170 km. Comparison is made between the IRI-79 model and the point defined using fF1 with the experimental true height profiles for medium and high solar activity and different seasons. Those points are a better estimate of the observed intermediate region over San Juan. An extension of the analysis using data from Tucumán (26.9°S; 65.4°W) suggests that the obtained results could be generalized at least for low latitude conditions.     

廊坊中频雷达流星观测及初步结果

中频雷达用来开展夜间100km高度以上的流星观测,获得流星随时间、高度、方位的分布情况及流星体速度、流星辐射点、流星余迹径向速度等参数,其探测数据可用于流星天文学、中层大气动力学等领域的研究.利用2017年11月16日12:00UT-22:00UT期间廊坊观测站（39.4°N,116.7°E）的中频雷达数据,首次开展了中国中纬度地区夜间流星观测实验,共检测到94个流星回波信号,集中分布在97～115km高度范围内,平均高度为106.5km,计算得到了流星回波的双极扩散系数、方位分布等相关参数,并与国外中频雷达流星探测结果进行了初步比较.      

基于GPS掩星平均弯曲角的折射率反演研究

利用Abel积分变换通过掩星弯曲角计算折射率需要对高层弯曲角进行统计优化.目前由于所使用的背景场资料和具体反演方法不同,导致所发布的掩星大气数据气候统计值存在一定差异.本文使用2008年1,4,7,10月共4个月的COSMIC大气掩星附加相位数据,从纬圈平均弯曲角廓线反演相应月平均折射率,对反演结果进行比较分析.研究表明,利用掩星折射数据进行气候研究时无需逐一对掩星探测廓线进行统计优化,在40 km以下高度基于平均弯曲角的反演方法与传统统计相比能够获得几乎一致的月平均折射率,在50 km以上高度基于平均弯曲角的反演结果更加接近ECMWF资料统计.      

利用COSMIC数据构建的全球垂直TEC图的验证研究

在日固坐标系(地磁纬度和地方时)下, 累积地方时过去24h的COSMIC(Constellation Observing System for Meteorology Ionosphere andClimate)观测资料, 通过对110$sim$750km高度范围内的电子密度进行数值积分得到各掩星点的垂直TEC值, 进而利用Kriging方法插值产生近实时的全球地方时MAGLat2.5°×2h的COSMIC TEC图. 利用2008年1月1日至2010年6月30日共30个月的COSMIC数据, 逐日构建COSMICTEC图, 将其与全球导航卫星系统服务组织(International GNSS Service,IGS)发布的全球电离层TEC图(Global Ionospheric Maps, GIMs)以及OSTM/JASON-2卫星高度计观测值分别进行比对,证明利用COSMIC掩星资料构建全球电离层垂直TEC图是可行的.      

电离层薄层高度对电离层模型化的影响

利用IRI2012模型分析了电离层薄层高度的时空变化规律,提出了基于应用中STEC的电离层改正误差分析理论,分析了电离层薄层高度变化的相关影响.结果表明,电离层薄层高度变化对电离层穿刺点位置、投影映射函数值、电离层建模结果、电离层模型精化和电离层模型精度评估结果的影响较大.高度截止角为10°时,电离层薄层高度变化导致电离层穿刺点的经纬度差异最大可达3.2°,投影映射函数最高可引入约15.46%的误差,电离层建模结果差异和建模实用误差最高分别达9.71%,3.64%,采用不同薄层高度数据的电离层模型参数拟合和模型精化结果最大可引入约9.26%的误差,采用不同电离层薄层高度数据进行模型精度评定时最大可引入约9.62%的误差.根据这些研究结果可知:在实际应用中应采用电离层薄层高度模型,并选取较大的卫星高度截止角来减小薄层高度变化引入的误差;采用固定高度时,区域电离层建模采用与实际电离层薄层一致的固定高度;进行精度评估时,参考数据的电离层薄层高度与需要精度评估的电离层模型薄层高度相等.      

Global monitoring of tropospheric water vapor with GPS radio occultation aboard CHAMP

The global positioning system radio occultation (GPS RO) technique provides a powerful tool for atmospheric sounding which requires no calibration, is not affected by clouds, aerosols or precipitation, and provides an almost uniform global coverage. The paper deals with application of GPS RO measurements from CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) for the retrieval of tropospheric water vapor profiles. CHAMP RO data are available since 2001 with up to 200 high resolution atmospheric profiles per day. We introduce a new direct method for water vapor retrieval from GPS RO data. Additionally, a 1Dvar algorithm is used for this purpose. The so derived CHAMP water vapor profiles are validated with radiosonde data on a global scale. Here, both methods come to statistically comparable results revealing a negative bias of less than 0.1 g/kg and a standard deviation of less than 1 g/kg specific humidity in the mid troposphere. Potentials of CHAMP RO retrievals for monitoring the mean tropospheric water vapor distribution on a global scale are presented.     

Global MGS TES data and Mars-GRAM validation

Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM 2001) is an engineering-level Mars atmosphere model widely used for many Mars mission applications. From 0 to 80 km, it is based on NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model (MGCM), while above 80 km it is based on University of Michigan Mars Thermospheric General Circulation Model. Mars-GRAM 2001 and MGCM use surface topography from Mars Global Surveyor Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA). Validation studies are described comparing Mars-GRAM with a global summary data set of Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data. TES averages and standard deviations were assembled from binned TES data which covered surface to ∼40 km, over more than a full Mars year (February 1999–June 2001, just before start of a Mars global dust storm). TES data were binned in 10° × 10° latitude–longitude bins (36 longitude bins, centered at 5°–355°, by 18 latitude bins, centered at −85° to +85°), and 12 seasonal bins (based on 30° increments of L_s angle). Bin averages and standard deviations were assembled at 23 data levels (temperature at 21 pressure levels, plus surface temperature and surface pressure). Two time-of-day bins were used: local time near 2 or 14 h. Two dust optical depth bins were used: infrared optical depth, either less than or greater than 0.25 (which corresponds to visible optical depth less than or greater than about 0.5). For interests in aerocapture and precision entry and landing, comparisons focused on atmospheric density. TES densities versus height were computed from TES temperature versus pressure, using assumptions of perfect gas law and hydrostatics. Mars-GRAM validation studies used density ratio (TES/Mars-GRAM) evaluated at data bin center points in space and time. Observed average TES/Mars-GRAM density ratios were generally 1 ± 0.05, except at high altitudes (15–30 km, depending on season) and high latitudes (>45°N), or at most altitudes in the southern hemisphere at L_s ∼ 90° and 180°. Compared to TES averages for a given latitude and season, TES data had average density standard deviation about the mean of ∼2.5% for all data, or ∼1–4%, depending on time of day and dust optical depth. Average standard deviation of TES/Mars-GRAM density ratio was 8.9% for local time 2 h and 7.1% for local time 14 h. Thus standard deviation of observed TES/Mars-GRAM density ratio, evaluated at matching positions and times, is about three times the standard deviation of TES data about the TES mean value at a given position and season.