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Relationships between tropospheric water vapor and surface temperature as observed by radiosondes
Author(s) -
Gaffen Dian J.,
Elliott William P.,
Robock Alan
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/92gl02001
Subject(s) - radiosonde , troposphere , water vapor , precipitable water , environmental science , climatology , sea surface temperature , atmospheric sciences , satellite , meteorology , geology , geography , physics , astronomy
Using radiosonde data from 50 stations for 1973–1990, we quantify relationships between surface air temperature ( T s ) and precipitable water vapor ( W ) for different time scales. Monthly mean observations are fairly well described by an equation of the form ln W = A + B T s , but the coefficients A and B depend on the T s range considered. At high T s , the relationship is poor. This relationship and relationships between sea surface temperature ( SST ) and W based on satellite microwave observations over oceans are in remarkably good agreement over restricted SST ranges. Monthly and annual anomalies of W and T s are well correlated only outside the tropics, but on longer time scales, there is some evidence of positive trends in both W and T s at most of the stations studied. Thus the relationship between W and T s depends on the time scales and geographic region considered.