Evaluation of atmospheric profiles from GPS radio occultation using the CHAMP satellite over South America

Author(s)

Marcelo Leandro Holzschuh ^[1] ; Luiz Fernando Sapucci ^[2] ; João Francisco Galera Monico ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Estadual do Mato Grosso. Departamento de Licenciatura em Computação

^[2] Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais. Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos

^[3] Universidade Estadual Paulista. Departamento de Cartografia. FCT

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia; v. 25, n. 2, p. 147-155, 2010-06-00.

Abstract

With the advent of Global Positioning System (GPS), together with Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the Radio Occultation GPS (RO GPS) technique appears as a possibility of obtaining atmospheric profiles remotely, with positive perspectives of applications in atmospheric numerical modeling. The LEO satellite mission denominated Challenging Minisatellite Payload of Geophysical Research and Application (CHAMP), although with the main objective being in the area of geophysical studies, it has also allowed studies about the potential of RO-GPS. This study is related to the evaluation of the atmospheric profiles quality obtained by the LEO CHAMP satellites over South America, comparing them to radiosondes profiles and of regional reanalysis of five years from CPTEC/INPE. The results of the comparisons between RO GPS and RSO profiles pointed out a mean temperature difference below 1 K and a standard deviation of up to 3 K, distributed in altitudes from 9 to 18 km. The comparisons of temperature profiles from RO GPS and CPTEC's reanalysis between 9 and 13 km showed that the bias is almost null and the standard deviation is around 1 K. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 06/04008-2 - GNSS: investigations and applications in geodetic positioning, in studies related to the atmosphere and precision agriculture
• Grantee: Joao Francisco Galera Monico
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants