Boundary-Layer Structure Over Tropical Oceans from TIROS-N Infrared Sounder Observations

Abstract

It has been shown by simulation studies that the 13.4, 11.1 and 8.3 ?m spectral radiances are sensitive to the moisture distribution within the boundary layer. If the distribution gets significantly perturbed due to some stratification present in the boundary layer, the radiances show a change different from the change expected solely on the basis of change in the total water vapor content of the atmosphere. It has been possible to formulate an index which describes these changes in water vapor distribution in the boundary layer. The calculations have been tested using TIROS-N infrared sounder data for three days in June 1979 over the Arabian Sea for the case of monsoon inversion.