Atmospheric Stability over the Tropical Oceans Derived from TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder

Abstract

Atmospheric static stability ahs a role in determining where and when deep convection can occur. Owing to a sparsity of upper-air stations through most of the tropics, satellites must be relied upon for stability information. Data from the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) aboard NOAA's polar-orbiting satellites are evaluated for suitability in computing atmospheric stability. A stability index is derived and compared with both monthly means and individual soundings from in situ instruments. The results suggest that, although TOVS has several shortcomings, a good measure of atmospheric stability can be obtained.