Open AccessMultiple Scientific Uses of Radio Occultation: Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation Workshop; Pasadena, California, 7–9 April 2009
Author(s) -
Mannucci Anthony J.,
Rocken Christian
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
eos, transactions american geophysical union
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 2324-9250
pISSN - 0096-3941
DOI - 10.1029/2009eo290004
Subject(s) - radio occultation , global positioning system , environmental science , occultation , remote sensing , satellite , meteorology , calibration , computer science , geology , telecommunications , astronomy , geography , physics , quantum mechanics
There is a clear need for observing systems that characterize decadal‐scale changes of the climate system. A National Research Council (NRC) report, “Earth science and applications from space” (2007); recommends the radio occultation (RO) technique to monitor climate change. Radio occultation establishes a global climate benchmark by measuring the effect of atmospheric temperature, pressure, and water vapor on radio signals propagating above the outer edge of Earth's surface, known as the limb. The atmospherically induced delays are tied to atomic clock standards via the Global Positioning System (GPS). Measurements obtained decades apart can be intercompared without concern for intersatellite bias or calibration drift.