Kursinski et al. 1

1
NAME GPS PW Surface Obs. Array
NSF ( NOAA?)
Rob Kursinski (PI) A. Hahmann, W. Kolczynski, M
. Leuthold, R. Maddox, R. Mastaler, C. Minjarez
U. Arizona
C. Watts, I. Minjarez, C. Lazaraga UNISON
GPS
GPS
GPS
S. Gutman FSL NOAA

Y. Bar-Sever JPL NASA
Puerto Penasco

• Understand relation between PW and precipitation
• Assess and improve knowledge and model
  representations of moisture and precipitation
• Monitor intra- inter-annual variations
• Aid in forecasting

Combine existing GPS instrumentation plus 5 new
sets of in Northwestern Mexico to
2
GPS NAME
6 Existing SuomiNet sites of UA/UNISON
Phoenix, Tucson, Mt. Hopkins, Douglas,
Puerto Penasco, Hermosillo

• Place 5 (to 7) additional instrumentation sets in
  Mexico
• GPS receiver, barometer, thermometer,
  hygrometer,anemometer web cam
• Locations being finalized
• Measure column water vapor surface
  meteorological conditions
• In convectively active area in SMO
• In clear and cloudy conditions
• 5 to 30 minute sampling
• Resolve diurnal water vapor cycle
• Internet for near real-time access monitoring
• FSL will provide GPS processing in near real-time
  at 30 minute resolution
• Begin by early to mid-June
• Run continuously through end of NAME Summer 04
  campaign

R
R
3
GPS Simulation Results
2003
Monsoon in Tucson

Diurnal PW variations over 4 days
WRF GPS
Tucson
WRF simulation
Mt. Hopkins
Time derivative of PW
4
Impact of Ground GPS on Analyses Forecasts

• Rapid time variations in moisture captured by GPS
• Significantly improve the RUC moisture analyses
  forecasts during periods of rapid moisture
  evolution
• Provides detection of radiosondes getting wet

Tucson
RUC w/o GPS RUC w/ GPS GPS Sonde
RUC w/o GPS RUC w/ GPS GPS Sonde
Analysis
3 hr Forecast
Courtesy of Seth Gutman, NOAA FSL