A Comparison of Philips RS4 and Väisälä RS80 Radiosonde Data

Abstract

The paper describes the results of an experiment where, for a series of flights, Philips RS4 and Väisälä RS80 radiosondes were mounted on the same balloon. It is shown that there are both random and systematic differences in the raw and derived data generated from these systems. At all levels above 1000 hPa, solar corrected RS4 temperature soundings are colder than those of the RS8O; resulting in a geopotential height difference of the order of 90 m at 50 hPa. The Väisälä RS8O Omega winds are similar to radar-derived wind profiles except in regions of changing vertical shear.