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Statistical relation between monthly mean precipitable water and surface-level humidity over global oceansMonthly summaries of atmospheric soundings taken over 17 years from 49 midocean stations at small islands and weather ships distributed over major oceans are examined. Over tropical oceans, precipitable water is found to be a better predictor of surface-level humidity than surface-level air temperature. A statistical relation in the form of a polynomial is derived; from this relation, the monthly-mean, surface-level mixing ratio can be computed from monthly-mean precipitable water. The root-mean-square differences between the measured and derived values were found to be less than 8 x 10 to the -4th over most ocean areas. Such a relation is useful in deriving large-scale evaporation and latent heat flux data from the ocean, using spaceborne observations. The temporal and spatial variabilities of data deviations from this relation are examined. This relation is found to be applicable to all major ocean basins and can be used to monitor interannual variability. Boundary-layer thermodynamics of different air masses are suggested as an explanation of some characteristics of this relation.
Document ID
19870027722
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Liu, W. T.
(California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)
Date Acquired
August 13, 2013
Publication Date
August 1, 1986
Publication Information
Publication: Monthly Weather Review
Volume: 114
ISSN: 0027-0644
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
87A14996
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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