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Temperature gradients and clear-air turbulence probabilitiesIn order to forecast clear-air turbulence (CAT) in jet aircraft flights, a study was conducted in which the data from a special-purpose instrument aboard a Boeing 747 jet airliner were compared with satellite-derived radiance gradients, conventional temperature gradients from analyzed maps, and temperature gradients obtained from a total air temperature sensor on the plane. The advantage of making use of satellite-derived data is that they are available worldwide without the need for radiosonde observations, which are scarce in many parts of the world. Major conclusions are that CAT probabilities are significantly higher over mountains than flat terrain, and that satellite radiance gradients appear to discriminate between CAT and no CAT better than conventional temperature gradients over flat lands, whereas the reverse is true over mountains, the differences between the two techniques being not large over mountains.
Document ID
19770035504
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Bender, M. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Panofsky, H. A.
(Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pa., United States)
Peslen, C. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Md.; Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1976
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Applied Meteorology
Volume: 15
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
77A18356
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NOAA-04-6-158-44013
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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