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Intercomparison of GlobVapour total column water vapour (TCWV) and Envisat RA2-MWR measurements (preliminary results) Bruno Picard (CLS), Jean-Rémi Deboer (CLS) Martin Stengle (DWD), Marc Schröder (DWD) Estelle Obligis (CLS), Marie-Laure Frery (CLS) bpicard@cls.fr (+33)5 6139 3737. Objectives.
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Intercomparison of GlobVapour total column water vapour (TCWV) and Envisat RA2-MWR measurements(preliminary results)Bruno Picard (CLS), Jean-Rémi Deboer (CLS)Martin Stengle (DWD), Marc Schröder (DWD)Estelle Obligis (CLS), Marie-Laure Frery (CLS)bpicard@cls.fr(+33)5 6139 3737
Objectives • A comparison of GlobVapour TWVC against RA2-MWR product (microwave radiometer on Envisat) • The present study is focusing on 4 monthly SSMI/Meris combined products • The results are preliminary and show what metrics could be used when more data will be available
Context • Altimetry missions usually embed a microwave radiometer in charge of providing the wet tropospheric correction ([cm]) to the radar signal • MWR are 2-bands (23.8/36.5 GHz, ERS-1/2, RA2-Envisat [ESA]) or 3-bands (+18.7GHz, Topex, Jasons [NASA/CNES])
Context • Altimetry missions usually embed a microwave radiometer in charge of providing the wet tropospheric correction ([cm]) to the radar signal • MWR are nadir 2-bands (23.8/36.5 GHz, ERS-1/2, RA2-Envisat [ESA]) or 3-bands (+18.7GHz, Topex, Jasons [NASA/CNES])
Wv for altimetry • The wet tropospheric correction 6 cm of wet tropo. corr = 1 g/cm2 TWVC • « dry » term (2m) provided by meteorological models with a good accuracy • « wet » term, almost proportional to the integrated water vapor (1cm = 1.66 kg/m2), highly variable in space and time, ranging from a few cm to about 50 cm, not provided with enough accuracy by meteorological models (actual resolution of 50km/6hours)
Altimetry requirements • To provide the wet tropospheric corrrection : • with a good accuracy (≈ 1 cm rms) • with a good stability (≈ 1 mm/year) • with no geographically correlated errors • GCOS recommandation: < 0.05mm/yr !
RA2-MWR • RA2-MWR is a 2-bands (23.8/36.5 GHz) nadir Dicke radiometer (resolution of about 20 km) • Wet tropo. corr and TWVC are retrieved by a neural network algorithm developed by CLS E. Obligis, L. Eymard, et al, “First three years of the microwave radiometer aboard ENVISAT: In-flight calibration, processing, and validation of the geophysical products,” J. Atmos. Ocean. Technol., vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 802–814, Jun. 2006. • Data are available since 2002
Reminder • BUT, when using RA2-MWR products, precaution should be taken on the coherency of the dataset • Algorithms have been constantly improved leading to discontinuities some RA2-MWR events since BOM • Oct.24, 2005, v5.02, 1st day of cycle 42, L1b upgrade: • MWR Side Lobe correction upgrade • Jan.12, 2010, v6.02, 1st day of cycle 86, L1b/L2 upgrade: • new in-flight calibration / new NN algorithm
Reprocessing • Envisat RA2 whole mission reprocessing in on-going • The present RA2-MWR data have been reprocessed using the CLS ESL MWR L1B reference prototype applying a consistent set of algorithms
SSMI/Meris combined product • 4 monthly mean 0.5°x0.5° SSMI/Meris combined TWVC product (prototype): July 2007, August 2007, January 2008, August 2008 (missing data ?) January 2008
RA2-MWR (reproc) product • Along-track nadir TWVC over a month has been averaged on a 0.5°x0.5° map • Altimetry validity flag has been used to edit data of poor quality January 2008
RA2-MWR (reproc) - GlobVapour • mean bias = -0.74 kg/m2 • mean rms = 7.11 kg/m2 • no geographical pattern January 2008
RA2-MWR (reproc) - GlobVapour • mean bias = -0.74 kg/m2 • mean rms = 7.11 kg/m2 • larger dispersion around 15 kg/m2
RA2-MWR (reproc) - GlobVapour • Impact of the reprocessing • official product • reprocessed product • larger bias with thereprocessed product • BUT, more stable in time mean of diff [kg/m2] std of diff [kg/m2] months since 07/2008
Conclusion • Comparison of SSMI/Meris with RA2-MWR shows good agreement • a bias of about 0.8 kg/m2, constant in time (?)no geographical pattern
Further study • Expected improvement for this study • > 15 kg/m2 dispersion ? • more data from GlobVapour ! • SSMI/Meris but also MWR 1D-Var • daily product ? • validation against: • model: ECMWF TWVC • in-situ measurements: radiosonde
THANK YOU! bpicard@cls.fr(+33)5 6139 3737