Al Sondear Intensivo en el Tropicos Centroamericanos:

1
Al Sondear Intensivo en el Tropicos
Centroamericanos The Ticosonde-NAME 2004
and Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 Campaigns

• Henry B. Selkirk
• Bay Area Environmental Research Institute
• NASA-Ames Research Center
• with
• Leonhard Pfister Holger
  Vömel
• NASA-Ames Research Center CIRES/Univ. of
  Colorado
• and
• Randy May Grace Peng
• MayComm Insts., LLC The Aerospace Corporation

Aura Meeting - 19 Sept 2005
2
Ticosonde-NAME 2004 Observational Program
Location IMN launch site at Juan Santamaria
Int. AP, Alajuela Dates 00 UT (6 PM) 16 June
00 UT 6 September Frequency 4 times/day 6 PM,
12 AM, 6 AM and 12 PM Measurements Temperature,
RH, winds Radiosonde Vaisala RS80-15G (June,
September) Vaisala RS90-AG (July, August,
September) IMN staff Adolfo Alvarado, Octavio
Castillo, Victor Hernández, Alexander
Cordoba, Werner Stolz (coordinator) Student
teams UCR/CIGEFI Erick Rivera, Gabriela Mora,
Gustavo Adolfo Uribe, Ana María Duran, Laura
Helena Segura, Marcela Ulate, Mario Cubero,
Rebeca Morera, Wilkie Contreras, Rebecca
Prada, Roy Armando Lopez UNA Rocío Alfaro,
Rosa Alfaro, Yerling Carranza, Jose Pablo
Jiménez UCR/CENAT Kristel Heinrich
3
Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 observational programs

• NASA-Ames/BAER Institute - Henry Selkirk, PI
• 4x daily Vaisala RS92-SGP ascents to 265 km - T,
  RH and winds
• 16 June 24 August
• Launch and data support by IMN and met students
  from UCR
• University of Colorado Holger Vömel, PI
• 24 CFH/ozonesondes soundings at 18 and 06 UT to
  30 km during July
• coincidence with Aura ascending/descending nodes
• Launch support by IMN
• Sonde prep and launches by atmos. chemistry
  students from UNA
• MayComm Instruments, LLC Randy May, PI
• 2 ascents with new TDL water vapor sonde
• The Aerospace Corporation - Grace Peng, PI
• 28 soundings for coincidence with DMSP F16 SSMIS
  instrument
• Coincidence with ascending and descending nodes _at_
  02 and 14 LT
• Launch and data support by IMN

4
The Ames/UCR RS92 launch program team

• Rennie Selkirk with the University of Costa Rica
  team of 'estudiasondistas' (from left) Eladio
  Solano, Marcial Garbanzo, Gustavo Garbanzo,
  Kristel Heinrich, Dylana Vargas, Rebeca Morera,
  Willkie Contreras, Giovanni Saenz, and Diego
  Armando Castro.

5
The Ames/UCR RS92 launch program
Beginning 16 June, radiosondes were launched at
00, 06, 12 and 18 UT each day by the IMN at
Antiguo Radar located at Juan Santamaria Intl.
AP. UCR meteorology students processed the data
and were trained by the IMN staff in the
preparation of the sondes and operation of the
DigiCORA receiving equipment.

• Victor demonstrates for Gustavo and Marcial
  Garbanzo the safe release of the radiosonde
  balloon.

Rebeca Morera unpacks a fresh RS92 under the
supervision of IMN radiosondista Victor Hernández.
6
The CU/UNA water vapor and ozonesonde launch
program
The University of Colorado, in collaboration with
IMN and the program in Atmospheric Chemistry
program at the Universidad Nacional, launched a
total of 24 cryogenic frostpoint hygrometer and
ozonesonde packages for AVE validation.

• Listening from left are Jose Morales, Jose Pablo
  Sibaja, Yerling Carranza, Karla Cerna, Prof.
  Jessica Valverde, Diana Gonzalez, Gabriela
  Hernández, Ayling Castillo, Edgar Gomez, Jose
  Pablo Jiménez, Victor Hugo Beita (all UNA) and
  Alexander Cordoba (IMN). Hidden from view are
  Berny Melendez, Rosa Alfaro, Ilena Vega and Rocío
  Alfaro of UNA.

PI Holger Vömel of the University of Colorado,
pictured here with Luis Zumbado of IMN and Prof.
Juan Valdés Gonzáles of UNA, explains the tricky
procedures to successfully launch the 1200-g
balloon to IMN staff and members of the UNA team.
7
The CU/UNA water vapor and ozonesonde launch
program
UNA students prepared the CFH and ozonesondes
ahead of time. A Vaisala RS80 attached to the
payload was used primarily for data transmission.
An RS92 was attached to the payload as well to
provided more accurate temperatures and a
relative humidity intercomparison with the CFH.

• Above, Sebastian Miranda of the UNA team fills
  the cryogen reservoir of the CFH, the last step
  before launch.

At right, Gabriela Hernández and Jose Pablo
Jiménez of UNA help IMN radiosondista Victor
Hernández steady the 1200-g balloon as it is
filled with helium.
8
The CU/UNA water vapor and ozonesonde launch
program

• The CFH/ozonesonde starts another ascent to 30 km
  
• in the midday sky over Costa Ricas Valle Central.

Jose Pablo Sibaja of UNA monitors the ascent of
the balloon in the first few minutes following
release.
9
MayComm Instruments Laser Hygrometer Sondes
Upper atmosphere water vapor measurements using
laser absorption spectroscopy

• Complementary approach to frost point hygrometer
  measurements
• Laser absorption is proven technique for H2O
  measurements from aircraft, and larger balloon
  platforms
• Uses simple 1.4 m, 2-pass optical system with
  heated optics to prevent condensation in clouds
• Potential for high precision and accuracy H2O
  measurements in the UTLS region
• New design for test and science flights during
  Ticosonde for AURA validation
• Five sondes prepared for Ticosonde activities

10
Ticosonde-NAME 2004 daily mean vertical structure
Tmin clustering
11
Diurnal variation of UT/LS temperature profile in
Ticosonde-NAME 2004

• Tmin/tropopause at local noon (18 UT, purple)
  below 16 km
• Increasing cloud fraction through afternoon is
  accompanied by development of upper lobe near 17
  km by 6 PM (00 UT, red).
• Lowering/cooling begins as cloud fraction
  decreases between 00UT and local midnite and into
  the early morning hours

12
Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005RS-92 hi-frequency
launch statistics(16 June through 15 August)

• 225 of 241 ascents to tropopause or above
• Median ceiling 26. km / 21.1 hPa
• Mean trop P, T and Theta 110.1 hPa, -79.5C,
  364.3 K
• Range of ptrop 137 to 85.4 hPa, 18 above
  100 hPa
• Range of Ttrop -73.7 to -85.1C
• Range of Thetatrop 349.5 to 389.9 K
• 45 sounding with second coded tropopause (1 in 5)
• Mean 2nd trop P, T and Theta 74.6 hPa, 75.1C,
  421 K
• 2-sec RS92 p,T,rh and wind data submission to
  AVDC August 2005
• Plots and text files of low-res data at
  lthttp//bocachica.arc.nasa.gov/TICOSONDE/gt

13
Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005CFH Ozone
SondeBalloon statistics

• Intensive observation period July 8 - July 25,
  2005
• Average ceiling height 30.5 km
• Day/nighttime launches 19/5
• Water vapor profiles to 8/18/26 km 22/17/11
• Ozone profiles to ceiling 23
• Students participating 15

14

• Diurnal cycle of convection
  peaked at 00 UT/6 PM

Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 RS92 data
15

• Frequent occurrence of
  secondary inversions in lower stratosphere

16

• Remarkably similar structure in
  simultaneous GPS RO sounding 13 farther east

17

• Downward phase propagation of 4-5 day waves in
  temperature to tropopause level

Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 RS92 data
18

• Zonal wind anomalies coherent
  with T but maximize in upper troposphere

Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 RS92 data
19

• Meridonal wind anomalies with 2-day freq. in
  stratosphere, 4-5 day in deep troposphere

Ticosonde-Aura/TCSP 2005 RS92 data
20
Ticosonde 2004 and 2005 research and the CR-AVE
2006 campaign

• Diurnal variations of rainy season tropopause
  structure - 2004 vs 2005
• Strong descending QBO easterly in 2005 - effects
  on wave propagation
• Double tropopause analysis - with Grace Peng
• Wave analysis of UT/LS variability - summer vs.
  winter
• Synoptic variability - W. Fernandez/UCR and
  students
• Boundary layer structure and ozone variability -
  J. Valdes, J. Valverde/UNA and students
• Analysis of RS92 RH and intercomparison in 2005
  with CFH - H. Vömel
• Ticosonde-CRAVE 2006
• 2-month RS92 observational program, 1 Jan - 28
  Feb, 4 times per day
• CFH/ozonesondes - 20-30
• MayComm water vapor sondes

21
Ticosonde partnerships - 2004 thru 2006

• Scientific and technical collaboration with
• Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) - Werner
  Stolz and Paulo Manso
• Universidad Nacional/LAQAT - Profs. J. Valdés and
  J. Valverde
• Universidad de Costa Rica/LIAP - Prof. Walter
  Fernandez
• Centro Nacional de Alta Tecnologia (CENAT) - Dr.
  J. Andrés Diaz
• Unversidad de Costa Rica/CIGEFI - Prof. Jorge
  Amador
• Comité Regional de Recursos Hidraulicos (CRRH) -
  Max Campos Eladio Zárate
• Substantial support in 2004 from IMN, North
  American Monsoon Experiment (NAME) and CRRH
• Three joint observational programs in 2005 and
  2006 supported by the Aura validation program and
  Science Mission Directorate
• Additional partnership with The Aerospace
  Corporation for DMSP validation