Atmospheric Science

Weather and climate analyses using improved global water vapor observations

  1. Thomas H. Vonder Haar1,2,*,
  2. Janice L. Bytheway1,2,
  3. John M. Forsythe1,3

Article first published online: 3 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1029/2012GL052094

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Additional Information

How to Cite

Vonder Haar, T. H., J. L. Bytheway, and J. M. Forsythe (2012), Weather and climate analyses using improved global water vapor observations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L15802, doi:10.1029/2012GL052094.

Author Information

  1. 1

    METSAT Division, Science and Technology Corporation, Laporte, Colorado, USA

  2. 2

    Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

  3. 3

    Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

*Corresponding author: T. H. Vonder Haar, METSAT Division, Science and Technology Corporation, 4033 Buckskin Trl., Laporte, CO 80535, USA. (vonderhaar@cira.colostate.edu)

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 3 AUG 2012
  2. Article first published online: 3 AUG 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 28 JUN 2012
  4. Manuscript Revised: 18 JUN 2012
  5. Manuscript Received: 2 MAY 2012

Funded by

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Grant Number: MEAS-06-0023

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Keywords:

  • climate data record;
  • water cycle;
  • water vapor

[1] The NASA Water Vapor Project (NVAP) dataset is a global (land and ocean) water vapor dataset created by merging multiple sources of atmospheric water vapor to form a global data base of total and layered precipitable water vapor. Under the NASA Making Earth Science Data Records for Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program, NVAP is being reprocessed and extended, increasing its 14-year coverage to include 22 years of data. The NVAP-MEaSUREs (NVAP-M) dataset is geared towards varied user needs, and biases in the original dataset caused by algorithm and input changes were removed. This is accomplished by relying on peer reviewed algorithms and producing the data in multiple “streams” to create products geared towards studies of both climate and weather. We briefly discuss the need for reprocessing and extension, steps taken to improve the product, and provide some early science results highlighting the improvements and potential scientific uses of NVAP-M.

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