Integrating a Future Ground-based Profiling System with the Existing Satellite Observing System: The Benefits of a Synergy of Profilers
Presentation 1530-1600. Both the National Research Council in 2009 and the 2017 NASA Decadal Survey have highlighted the weaknesses of the space-based observing system in sounding the planetary boundary layer and the need for better observations. The 2017 NASA Decadal Survey highlighted sounding of the planetary boundary layer as an area for future investment in the next decade. The National Research Council suggested the development of a nationwide network of ground-based atmospheric profilers as a solution to improving observations of the planetary boundary layer. One of the instruments that would fulfill the requirements outlined by the National Research Council for this ground-based network would be the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI). The AERI has been used extensively in studies of the planetary boundary layer and has a long-term data record as part of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program.
One of the outstanding questions regarding the implementation of a network of ground-based profilers would be how to integrate it with the existing space-based observing system. This study will seek to address this question with a synthetic information content study of a synergy of ground-based profilers with existing space-based sounding systems in clear and cloudy sky environments. Preliminary work has shown that a synergy of AERI with space-based sounders produced improved information content and vertical resolution throughout most of the troposphere. The synergy has greater degrees of freedom in the surface to 700 hPa layer than either AERI alone or the space-based instrument alone. AERI also provides significant improvement in vertical resolution of the water vapor retrieval compared to what is currently offered by the space-based observing system.