Using GPS Radio Occultation to study polar boundary layer properties

Abstract:

The sensitivity of GPS RO refractivity to moisture and temperature variations in polar regions is explored using radiosonde observations from the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA) experiment. A retrieval algorithm for the boundary layer inversion height and surface-based inversion (SBI) frequency is developed for dry atmospheric conditions (total precipitable water < 3.6 mm) that typically exist during polar winter, as well as in high-latitude, elevated regions such as eastern Antarctica and central Greenland. The algorithm is applied to the high-resolution refractivity profiles obtained over the polar Arctic region using the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) dataset for the period 2006-2013. The method is found useful for capturing the spatiotemporal variability in Arctic inversion properties. For the Arctic Ocean, the spatial patterns show a minimum inversion height (maximum SBI frequency) over the ice-covered Pacific sector similar to that observed in past studies. Monthly evolution of the inversion characteristics suggests a surface temperature control in the multi-year sea ice region, with the peak in SBI frequency occurring during the transition period from winter to spring. For central Greenland, the seasonal peak in SBI frequency occurs during winter. The diurnal variability in SBI frequency is forced mainly by solar heating, consistent with past observations. Despite some limitations, the RO refractivity profile is found quite useful for monitoring the Arctic boundary layer, and is able to capture the interannual variability of inversion characteristics.