An Example of Temperature Structure Differences in Two Cyclone Systems Derived from the Advanced Microwave Sounder Unit

Abstract

The Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) has better horizontal resolution and vertical temperature sounding abilities than its predecessor, the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU). Those improved capabilities are demonstrated with observations of two cyclonic weather systems located in the South Pacific Ocean on 1 March 1999. These weather systems appear quite similar in conventional infrared satellite imagery, suggesting that they are comparable in structure and intensity. However, an analysis using temperature retrievals created from the AMSU shows that their vertical thermal structure is quite different. This is just one example of an application highlighting the improved sounding capabilities available with the AMSU instrument suite. A preliminary look at what the AMSU can provide in data-void regions and a discussion of future plans to create AMSU-based products to better diagnose synoptic-scale weather systems are presented.