Interannual variability of upper-troposphere water vapor band brightness temperature

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · Journal of Climate

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1996)009<0427:IVOUTW>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:379135

Bates, J J ^[1]; Wu, X ^[2]; Jackson, D L ^[3]

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1. NOAA/ERL Climate Diagnostics Center, Boulder, CO (United States)
2. Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
3. Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (United States)

A method for the intercalibration of the high-resolution infrared sounder (HIRS) upper-tropospheric water vapor band brightness temperature data is developed and applied to data from 1981 to 1993. Analysis of the adjusted anomaly time series show the location and strength of both the large-scale ascending and descending circulations in the Tropics as well as water vapor anomalies. Comparison of these HIRS data with outgoing longwave radiation and sea surface temperature anomalies reveals that both convection and increased upper-tropospheric moisture occur over anomalously warm water in the deep Tropics. The development and movement of deep convection and increased upper-tropospheric moisture can clearly be traced during the El Nino/Southern Oscillation warm events. These HIRS data are particularly useful in monitoring upper-tropospheric water vapor variability between the Tropics and subtropics. 21 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 379135
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate, Vol. 9, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
WATER VAPOR
ANNUAL VARIATIONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
TROPOSPHERE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES