Multispectral analysis of a tropical radiance set from the TIROS operational vertical sounder
Abstract
Analysis of the state of the atmosphere is constrained by the quantity and quality of the observations. In data sparse areas, meteorological analysis relies heavily on remotely sensed data, especially those collected by Earth orbiting satellites. The information content of the TIROS-N Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) is examined from 20 to 29 January 1979 over the tropical Pacific Ocean. Attempts to augment TOVS data in cloudy regions and for missing passes using a full quadratic response surface regression model were only marginally successful. The TOVS channels with peak energy contribution from below 90 mb were synthesized using principal components analysis. Over 94% of the areal variance at any particular time is represented by the first 5 eigenfunctions. The leading eigenfunctions and their horizontal patterns are consistent with the available sounding data and satellite imagery. This methodology can be developed to augment synoptic analysis in data sparse regions.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986PhDT.........9A
- Keywords:
-
- Pacific Ocean;
- Regression Analysis;
- Satellite Imagery;
- Satellite Sounding;
- Tiros N Series Satellites;
- Eigenvectors;
- Energy Distribution;
- Remote Sensing;
- Geophysics