Collecting and interpreting upper air meteorological data for the PAMS network using radar profilers and RASS

Remote sensors like radar wind profilers equipped with Radio Acoustic Sounding Systems (RASS) are likely candidates for collecting the upper air meteorological data required for the PAMS network. Upper air winds and temperatures collected for PAMS will be used to analyze and model meteorological processes that accompany periods of high ozone concentrations; to initialize and evaluate the performance of air quality models; and to support analyses of emission control strategies. Profilers offer several advantages for collecting continuously and unmanned, providing improved temporal resolution at lower cost; data are available in near-real time, simplifying quality control (QC) activities; and profilers measure vertical velocity (w), which is an important parameter for diagnosing and accurately modeling many meteorological processes. Wind profilers measure wind speed, wind direction, and vertical velocity from approximately 100 m agl to altitudes as high as 3--5 km with a vertical resolutions of 60--100 m; RASS measures temperature to altitudes of 1--2 km with the same vertical resolution. Profilers also produce lower-level information that is proving extremely useful for identifying and analyzing key atmospheric processes and features that accompany periods of poor air quality, such as mixing depth and turbulence information. Using a number of examples of the types ofmore » data provided by profilers, the authors describe uses of profiler data in recent air quality studies and discuss issues related to data management, quality control, and data interpretation.« less