Remote sensing of low-altitude temperature profile is important for a variety of studies, including air-sea interaction, short-term meteorological forecasting, forecasting of dissipation of fog and stratus, and air pollution. During December 1999, and January-February 2000, a microwave temperature profiler (MTP-5), manufacturing by Russian Scientific Production Company ATTEX, was installed at the Russian meteorological station Val at the north part of Sakhalin Island (LN6 143 degree(s)E, LAT 52 degree(s)N, ALT-32M). The MTP-5 is an angular-scanning self-calibrating instrument operated at a center frequency of 59, 6 GHz, with a sensitivity of 0,03K at 1-sec integration time, a cycle time of 120 sec for one temperature profile measurement and an accuracy of 0,5K up to the altitude 600 m. Before installation on site the MTP-5 data were compared with radiosonde data and with the data from in situ sensors at the meteorological tower. The RMS was less than 0.5K at all altitude (up to 600 m). The using of microwave remote sensing firstly gave the possibility of providing a continuous monitoring of the temperature profile above the north part of Sakhalin Island where the sea ice was formed. About 13000 temperature profiles at altitude range 0divided by600 m were obtained during observation period. The measurement was provided as a part of the project Clarification of the actual condition of sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk and its role in the climate system.

Date Published: 21 December 2000
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 4152, Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II, (21 December 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.410612

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4152:
Microwave Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Environment II
Thomas T. Wilheit; Harunobu Masuko; Hiroyuki Wakabayashi, Editor(s)