A STATISTICAL COMPARISON OF WINTER–SUMMER ROCKETSONDE-RADIOSONDE TEMPERATURES IN THE 20- TO 34-KILOMETER REGION OF THE STRATOSPHERE

Abstract

An investigation to determine whether rocketsonde temperatures are significantly different from radiosonde temperatures was made using published data for Wallops Island, Va. Statistical comparison between the Arcasonde 1A and ESSA's hypsometer-equipped ?outrigger thermistor? type radiosonde revealed their measurements to be significantly different. Examination of the mean temperatures yielded by each measuring system for the winter and summer seasonal data revealed a constant difference below 26 km, while above this altitude the difference increased with altitude. The range of winter?summer mean temperatures computed from each system also showed good agreement except above 26 km where the range increased at a different rate. It is believed these differences in the temperature profiles may be caused by radiation influences acting differently on each sensor. The need for further investigation of these differences is indicated.