Atmospheric water plays a key role in climate. Water vapour is the most important greenhouse gas and its condensed forms exert a profound influence on both incoming solar and outgoing infrared radiation. Unfortunately, accurate, height-resolved global-scale measurements of atmospheric humidity are difficult to obtain. The change in concentration of five orders of magnitude form the ground to the stratosphere means there is no standard instrument that will measure everywhere. This has led to different measuring techniques, all with strengths and weaknesses.
This book assesses all presently available techniques that are used in monitoring networks. Special weight is given to presenting the different technical concepts, the accuracy of different sensor types, addresses calibration issues and retrieval aspects.
Author(s): Niklaus Kämpfer (auth.), Niklaus Kämpfer (eds.)
Series: ISSI Scientific Report Series 10
Edition: 1
Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York
Year: 2013
Language: English
Pages: 328
Tags: Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry; Climate Change; Extraterrestrial Physics, Space Sciences; Meteorology/Climatology
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 1-7
Front Matter....Pages 9-9
Thin Film Capacitive Sensors....Pages 11-38
Balloon-Borne Frostpoint-Hygrometry....Pages 39-53
Application of Fluorescence Methodfor Measurements of Water Vapour in the Atmosphere....Pages 55-68
Front Matter....Pages 69-69
Microwave Radiometry....Pages 71-93
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry....Pages 95-111
Lidar....Pages 113-158
Front Matter....Pages 159-159
Role of Ground-based Networks and Long-term Programmes for Global Monitoring....Pages 161-174
Satellite Sensors Measuring Atmospheric Water Vapour....Pages 175-214
Combining and Merging Water Vapour Observations: A Multi-dimensional Perspective on Smoothing and Sampling Issues....Pages 215-242
Survey of Intercomparisons of Water Vapour Measurements....Pages 243-288
Back Matter....Pages 283-283
