Driftsondes: Providing In Situ Long-Duration Dropsonde Observations over Remote Regions

Cohn Stephen A. (1) , Hock Terry (1) , Cocquerez Philippe (2) , Wang Junhong (1) , Rabier Florence (3) , Parsons David (4) , Harr Patrick (5) , Wu Chun-Chieh (6) , Drobinski Philippe (7) , Karbou Fatima (3) , Vénel Stéphanie (2) , Vargas André (2) , Fourrié Nadia (3) , Saint-Ramond Nathalie (3) , Guidard Vincent (3) , Doerenbecher Alexis (3) , Hsu Huang-Hsiung (8) , Lin Po-Hsiung (6) , Chou Ming-Dah (9) , Redelsperger Jean-Luc (10) , Martin Charlie (1) , Fox Jack (1) , Potts Nick (1) , Young Kathryn (1) , Cole Hal (1)

1 NCAR - National Center for Atmospheric Research [Boulder]
2 CNES - Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse]
3 CNRM - Centre national de recherches météorologiques
4 OU - University of Oklahoma
5 Naval Postgraduate School
6 NTU - National Taiwan University [Taiwan]
7 X - École polytechnique
8 Research Center for Environmental Changes [Taipei]
9 National Central University Chungli
10 LPO - Laboratoire de physique des océans

Constellations of driftsonde systems— gondolas floating in the stratosphere and able to release dropsondes upon command— have so far been used in three major field experiments from 2006 through 2010. With them, high-quality, high-resolution, in situ atmospheric profiles were made over extended periods in regions that are otherwise very difficult to observe. The measurements have unique value for verifying and evaluating numerical weather prediction models and global data assimilation systems; they can be a valuable resource to validate data from remote sensing instruments, especially on satellites, but also airborne or ground-based remote sensors. These applications for models and remote sensors result in a powerful combination for improving data assimilation systems. Driftsondes also can support process studies in otherwise difficult locations—for example, to study factors that control the development or decay of a tropical disturbance, or to investigate the lower boundary layer over the interior Antarctic continent. The driftsonde system is now a mature and robust observing system that can be combined with flight-level data to conduct multidisciplinary research at heights well above that reached by current research aircraft. In this article we describe the development and capabilities of the driftsonde system, the exemplary science resulting from its use to date, and some future applications.

Domaines: Océanographie; Océan, Atmosphère

Cohn Stephen A., Hock Terry, Cocquerez Philippe, Wang Junhong, Rabier Florence, et al.. Driftsondes: Providing In Situ Long-Duration Dropsonde Observations over Remote Regions. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 2013, 94 (11), pp.1661-1674. ⟨10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00075.1⟩. ⟨hal-01153825⟩