A numerical study on the interpretation of data from open atmospheric balloon soundings

Abstract

Wrong information may be extracted from balloon soundings if neither appropriate interpretation and processing nor evaluations of certain inevitable distortions or artifacts on atmospheric measurements are performed. A numerical code that finds solutions to the dynamical and thermal equations describing an open balloon in the atmosphere is used to develop flight simulations under diverse conditions. The results are then employed to point out that a valid determination of values for diverse variables is intrinsically difficult. It is shown that the distance between the balloon and gondola may be chosen to optimize the information to be obtained from observations obtained during ascent and descent, so that even without an accurate balloon-tracking system, it may be possible to reconstruct horizontal wind fluctuations from the measurements. Vertical air oscillations may be only grossly inferred in some cases. The propagation direction of gravity waves detected during a sounding may be inferred and vertical wavelengths may typically be determined with a 10% accuracy. Air velocity measurements performed during flotation may be used to find shears. © 2005 American Meteorological Society.