Microwave Radiometer: Meteorological Temperature Profiler (raw)

Abstract

The microwave radiometer profiler (MWRP) provides vertical profiles of temperature, humidity, and cloud liquid water content as a function of height or pressure at approximately 5-minute intervals for nearly all weather conditions. The profiles are derived from measurements of absolute microwave radiances (expressed as "brightness temperatures") obtained at 12 frequencies in the range of 22-30 GHz and 51-59 GHz. The data are useful for input to numerical weather forecast models and others that require continuous, high-temporal-resolution profiles. The microwave radiance measurements are useful for testing models of microwave radiation transfer used to derive the profiles.