Surface climatological information - Twenty selected stations for space shuttle studies
Surface climatological data for twenty selected launch, landing, and alternate landing sites for space shuttle system
Bilton, T. H.↗
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Climatology of urban regional systems
The combining of remote sensing technologies to urban-regional energy climatology is studied. It was found to be three dimensional with a mosaic urban surface, each smaller surface with its own radiant and thermal properties. Urban patterns of radiant exchange were found to be constantly changing during diurnal and annual cycles. Results were derived from Barbados data using remote methods for monitoring and mapping radiation. Isoline maps of terrestrial radiation patterns were made generalizing the minute patterns of the scan image.
Pease, R. W.↗
Climatology of Urban-regional Systems
Urbanized areas have come to be significant if not dominant components of many regional land surfaces. They represent perhaps the most dramatic recent change man has made in his environment - a change that may well burgeon in the foreseeable future as greater percentages of world populations crowd into metropolitan areas. The climate of urban-regional systems is involved because temperature, air, and pollutants added to the air are significant aspects of this change. During the past two years, substantial progress has been made in the application of remote sensing techniques to the study of urban climatology by programs jointly sponsored by NASA and the United States Geological Survey. The initial effort has endeavored with considerable success to map terrestrial radiation emission or the general thermal state of the land surface with the aid of imaging radiometers (mechanical-optical scanners).
Pease, R. W.↗
Climatological studies of the earth's radiation budget and its variability with measurements of the satellite Nimbus 3
Measurements of emitted long-wave radiation and reflected solar radiation were obtained over the entire globe from the meteorological satellite Nimbus III during 10 semimonthly periods of 1969 and 1970 covering a full annual cycle. Analyses of these measurements resulted in values for various scales for the radiation balance, the planetary albedo, and the outgoing long-wave radiation flux, and in geographical distributions of their averages and parameters describing their variability. Some examples obtained from measurements during the semimonthly period from 1-15 July 1969 are presented. They show the value of quantitative radiometric measurements as climatological descriptors as well as for studies of atmospheric energetics.
Raschke, E.↗
Are climatological correlations with the Hale double sunspot cycle meaningful?
A sunspot cycle which may have been subject to a predicted phase reversal between 1800 and 1880 A. D is discussed. Several climatological parameters normally correlated with this cycle are examined and do not exhibit a corresponding phase reversal during this period. It is proposed that this apparent discrepancy can be resolved by suitable observations during the upcoming half decade.
Goldberg, R. A.↗
Satellite cloud climatology of summertime cumulus research areas
Defense Meteorological Satellite Program data available for the summer of 1974 was used to construct a cloud climatology of areas where weather modification experiments are currently being conducted or planned; the three High Plains Experiment sites at Colby, Kansas, Big Springs, Texas, and Miles City, Montana; South Park, Colorado, where the South Park Area Cumulus Experiment is being conducted; and the National Hail Research Experiment area in northeastern Colorado. Digital data tapes were produced from the transparencies, obtained from the sun-synchronous polar-orbiting satellite passing over the study areas at about 1200 local time, and a computer analysis was carried out, producing areas and numbers of clouds for each area and day as well as providing data for cumulative averages over selected time periods for each study area.
Stodt, R. W.↗
Albedo climatology analysis and the determination of fractional cloud cover
Monthly and zonally averaged surface cover climatology data are presented which are used to construct monthly and zonally averaged surface albedos. The albedo transformations are then applied to the surface albedos, using solar zenith angles characteristic of the Nimbus 6 satellite local sampling times, to obtain albedos at the top of clear and totally cloud covered atmospheres. These albedos are then combined with measured albedo data to solve for the monthly and zonally averaged fractional cloud cover. The measured albedo data were obtained from the wide field of view channels of the Nimbus 6 Earth Radiation Budget experiment, and consequently the fractional cloud cover results are representative of the local sampling times. These fractional cloud cover results are compared with recent studies. The cloud cover results not only show peaks near the intertropical convergence zone, but the monthly migration of the position of these peaks follows general predictions of atmospheric circulation studies.
Curran, R. J.↗
Climatological features revealed by ESMR derived oceanic rainfall maps
Several new climatological patterns become apparent from the analysis of satellite-derived global oceanic rainfall maps. Five interesting features are briefly discussed.
Rao, M. S. V.↗
Climatological characteristics of high altitude wind shear and lapse rate layers
Indications of the climatological distribution of wind shear and temperature lapse and inversion rates as observed by rawinsonde measurements over the western United States are recorded. Frequencies of the strongest shear, lapse rates, and inversion layer strengths were observed for a 1 year period of record and were tabulated for the lower troposphere, the upper troposphere, and five altitude intervals in the lower stratosphere. Selected bivariate frequencies were also tabulated. Strong wind shears, lapse rates, and inversion are observed less frequently as altitude increases from 175 millibars to 20 millibars. On a seasonal basis the frequencies were higher in winter than in summer except for minor influences due to increased tropopause altitude in summer and the stratospheric wind reversal in the spring and fall.
Ehernberger, L. J.↗
Do initial conditions matter? A comparison of model climatologies generated from different initial states
A coarse mesh (8 by 10) 7 layer global climate model was used to compute 15 months of meteorological history in two perpetual January experiments on a water planet (without continents) with a zonally symmetric climatological January sea surface temperature field. In the first of the two water planet experiments the initial atmospheric state was a set of zonal mean values of specific humidity, temperature, and wind at each latitude. In the second experiment the model was initialized with globally uniform mean values of specific humidity and temperature on each sigma level surface, constant surface pressure (1010 mb), and zero wind everywhere. A comparison was made of the mean January climatic states generated by the two water planet experiments. The first two months of each 15 January run were discarded, and 13 month averages were computed from months 3 through 15.
Spar, J.↗
The influence of initial and surface boundary conditions on a model-generated January climatology
The influence on a model-generated January climate of various surface boundary conditions, as well as initial conditions, was studied by using the GISS coarse-mesh climate model. Four experiments - two with water planets, one with flat continents, and one with mountains - were used to investigate the effects of initial conditions, and the thermal and dynamical effects of the surface on the model generated-climate. However, climatological mean zonal-symmetric sea surface temperature is used in all four runs over the model oceans. Moreover, zero ground wetness and uniform ground albedo except for snow are used in the last experiments.
Wu, K. F.↗
Sensitivity of a climatologically-driven sea ice model to the ocean heat flux
Ocean heat flux sensitivity was studied on a numerical model of sea ice covering the Weddell Sea region of the southern ocean. The model is driven by mean monthly climatological atmospheric variables. For each model run, the ocean heat flux is uniform in both space and time. Ocean heat fluxes below 20 W m to the minus 2 power do not provide sufficient energy to allow the ice to melt to its summertime thicknesses and concentrations by the end of the 14 month simulation, whereas ocean heat fluxes of 30 W m to the minus 2 power and above result in too much ice melt, producing the almost total disappearance of ice in the Weddell Sea by the end of the 14 months. These results are dependent on the atmospheric forcing fields.
Parkinson, C. L.↗
Mars Geoscience Climatology Orbiter (MGCO) extended study: Technical volume
The FLTSATCOM Earth orbiting communications satellite is a prominent candidate to serve as the Mars Geoscience Climatology Orbiter (MGCO) spacecraft. Major aspects directly applicable are: (1) the incorporation of solid orbit insertion motor; (2) the ability to cruise to Mars in the spin-stabilized mode; (3) ample capability for payload mass and power; (4) attitude control tried to nadir and orbit plane coordinates; (5) exemplary Earth orbital performance record and projected lifetime; and (6) existence of an on-going procurement into the MGCO time period.
Source record↗
Climate studies from satellite observations - Special problems in the verification of earth radiation balance, cloud climatology, and related climate experiments
A body of techniques that have been developed and planned for use during the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE), the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), and related climate experiments of the 1980's are reviewed. Validation and verification methods must apply for systems of satellites. They include: (1) use of a normalization or intercalibration satellite, (2) special intensive observation areas located over ground-truth sites, and (3) monitoring of sun and earth by several satellites and/or several instruments at the same time. Since each climate application area has a hierarchy of user communities, validation techniques vary from very detailed methods to those that simply assure high relative accuracy in detecting space and time variations for climate studies. It is shown that climate experiments generally require more emphasis on long-term stability and internal consistency of satellite data sets than high absolute accuracy.
Vonder Haar, T. H.↗
Excess science accommodation capabilities and excess performance capabilities assessment for Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter: Extended study
The excess science accommodation and excess performance capabilities of a candidate spacecraft bus for the Mars Geoscience and Climatology Orbiter MGCO mission are assessed. The appendices are included to support the conclusions obtained during this contract extension. The appendices address the mission analysis, the attitude determination and control, the propulsion subsystem, and the spacecraft configuration.
Clark, K.↗
Search for solar signals in GOES imagery and cloud climatology analysis
The digitization and analysis of 16mm GOES IR imagery to identify spatial and temporal variation in clouds is discussed, along with a cloud climatology analysis. Recently added to the Interactive Graphics Package was a Computer Image Analysis System. This system allows many new imaging techniques. One of the possibilities is the analysis of overall light intensity variations in six 10 degree square boxes across the intertropical convergence zone. This technique is discussed, as is a preliminary analysis of unnormalized data.
Markson, R. J.↗
Empirical and modeled synoptic cloud climatology of the Arctic Ocean
A daily climatology of the atmospheric circulation of the Arctic and the associated cloud conditions were determined. These are used for comparisons with the variability of general circulation model, generated circulation, and cloud cover for the same region.
Barry, R. G.↗
Comparative climatology - Mars and earth
Spacecraft missions to Mars during the 1960's and 1970's gave a remarkably detailed picture of the meteorological and climatological conditions that characterize its atmosphere. During the relatively brief history of close-up exploration of Mars, much of the ambiguity associated with the early telescopic observations has been resolved, and a new image of the red planet has emerged. Accurate measurements taken both from orbit and the surface reveal a cool, thin atmosphere that condenses, transports water, and generates clouds and dust storms, and that has a global-scale wind system not unlike the one known on earth. This paper highlights the current view of the Martian climate system and what controls it. For perspective, comparisons with earth's climate system are included where appropriate.
Haberle, R. M.↗