Open AccessEstimation of relative humidity profiles From INSAT cloud data
Author(s) -
Onkari Prasad,
Ashok Rao
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
mausam
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.243
H-Index - 12
ISSN - 0252-9416
DOI - 10.54302/mausam.v42i3.3239
Subject(s) - relative humidity , cloud cover , environmental science , meteorology , context (archaeology) , humidity , cloud computing , satellite , atmospheric sciences , climatology , geography , computer science , geology , archaeology , aerospace engineering , engineering , operating system
Accurate humidity profiles are needed for obtaining useful rainfall forecasts from numerical weather prediction models. In this context objective estimation of moisture profiles over ocean areas using satellite cloud data becomes important. For this purpose the fractional cloudiness data available from INSAT has been classified into different cloud categories depending on the total cloud amount and the levels at which the clouds have been present. Actual relative humidity profiles have been obtained using TEMP data of Port Blair (11 .6°N 92.7°E) and Minicoy (8,3°N, 72,9°E), Most frequently occurring relative humidity profile has been selected as being representative of humidity distribution in the vertical for a given cloud category. The preliminary results reported here show that these bogus relative humidity profiles could provide useful Information on moisture distribution in the vertical over the Indian Ocean.