Three datasets of moisture profiles derived from observations provided by IASI, AIRS and MODIS are analysed for the area of Black Sea basin with respect to total precipitable water vapor (TPW) and water vapor mixing ratio (WH) at selected vertical levels. The analysis, performed at seasonal timescale, covers the period September 2008- August 2011. Frequency distribution of TPW over the entire basin show that IASI data is biased toward high values, especially during summer, while in MODIS the distribution is biased toward lower values; a very good agreement is found between AIRS dataset and ERA-INTERIM reanalysis. Spatial distribution of TPW is very similar between all three datasets, with increasing values from west to east. Comparison with long-term radiosounding observations from 6 coastal stations show a strong overestimation of TPW in all datasets during fall, expressed in a high frequency of occurence of extreme values, while a good agreement is found for seasonal means of near-surface water vapor mixing ratio (WHs). Significant vertical correlations for WH between surface and 850 hPa and 500 hPa are found in MODIS data, as well as correlation between WHs and associated sea-surface skin temperature (Tskin), not supported by radiosounding analysis.
Intercomparison of IR satellite derived products regarding vertical profiles of water vapor over Black Sea,
Liberti;G L;
2012
Abstract
Three datasets of moisture profiles derived from observations provided by IASI, AIRS and MODIS are analysed for the area of Black Sea basin with respect to total precipitable water vapor (TPW) and water vapor mixing ratio (WH) at selected vertical levels. The analysis, performed at seasonal timescale, covers the period September 2008- August 2011. Frequency distribution of TPW over the entire basin show that IASI data is biased toward high values, especially during summer, while in MODIS the distribution is biased toward lower values; a very good agreement is found between AIRS dataset and ERA-INTERIM reanalysis. Spatial distribution of TPW is very similar between all three datasets, with increasing values from west to east. Comparison with long-term radiosounding observations from 6 coastal stations show a strong overestimation of TPW in all datasets during fall, expressed in a high frequency of occurence of extreme values, while a good agreement is found for seasonal means of near-surface water vapor mixing ratio (WHs). Significant vertical correlations for WH between surface and 850 hPa and 500 hPa are found in MODIS data, as well as correlation between WHs and associated sea-surface skin temperature (Tskin), not supported by radiosounding analysis.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
