Global atmospheric temperature anomaly monitoring with passive microwave radiometersThe potential of microwave sounding units (MSU) for augmenting the surface-based thermometer record by providing a measurement representing a significant depth of the troposphere is considered. These radiometers measure the thermal emission by molecular oxygen in the atmosphere at different spectral intervals in the oxygen absorption complex near 60 GHz. Brightness temperature variations measured by NOAA-6 and NOAA-7 MSUs during a near-two year period are analyzed and compared with monthly averaged surface air temperature data. It is demonstrated that MSUs, while of limited use for vertical profiling of the atmosphere, provide stable measurements of vertically average atmospheric temperatures, centered at a constant pressure level.
Document ID
19900046250
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Spencer, Roy W. (NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL, United States)
Christy, John R. (Alabama, University Huntsville, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1990
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: Symposium on Global Change Systems and the Special Sessions on Climate Variations and Hydrology