A Passive Microwave Radiometer System for Diverse Atmospheric Measurements

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This grant supports the acquisition of a multichannel microwave radiometer as an addition to the University of Alabama Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS). Manufactured by Radiometrics, Inc., the Model TP/WPV-3000 radiometer employs seven channels near the 60 GHZ oxygen absorption line for temperature profiling and five channels near the 22 GHz water vapor line for humidity profiling. The current capability of MIPS enables the measurement of wind and radar reflectivity to 5 km using a UHF boundary layer profiler, visibility and cloud bases to 7.5 km with a laser ceilimeter, and virtual temperature to about 1 km using a radio acoustic sounding system. The radiometer will greatly extend the vertical range of MIPS by providing profiles of temperature, humidity, and cloud water to about 10 km. Applications planned for the augmented system are (1) studies of the time-varying temperature and humidity profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer; (2) investigations of convective initiation in relation to boundary layer structure; (3) relating temperature and humidity profiles to the evolution of thunderstorms; (4) measuring temperature and humidity profiles in landfalling hurricanes; (5) using the system in various multi-agency field programs. The data will be made available in real time to the local office of the National Weather Service to assess the contribution the observations can make to weather forecasting.