REDUCTION OF DIURNAL VARIATION IN THE REPORTED TEMPERATURES AND HEIGHTS OF STRATOSPHERIC CONSTANT-PRESSURE SURFACES

Abstract

Because temperature and height data reported by different types of radiosondes at constant-pressure surfaces high in the synoptic stratosphere are often incompatible, an empirical study has been made of diurnal changes computed from successive radiosonde observations taken in daylight and darkness and the variation of these changes with solar elevation angle. An attempt has been made to evaluate the spurious portion of these changes for principal types of instruments used by weather agencies of the United States during the International Geophysical Year. Graphs are presented giving temperature and height corrections that may be applied to the reported data to improve compatibility between stations, even across the line separating daylight from darkness. The method by which data were examined should prove useful in arriving at a similar system of corrections for any particular type of radiosonde.