Superpressure Balloons as Isentropic/Isopycnic Tracers

Abstract

Synchronous radar, temperature and pressure data of suitable quality, gathered from three balloon flights of the Mountain Wave Project, were analyzed in detail to show the relationships between balloon-depicted waves and isentropic and isopycnic waves. Results show that in wave conditions, superpressure balloons: 1) follow the undulations of density surfaces but overestimate crests and troughs of waves by an average error of 6%; and 2) follow isentropic surfaces, but underestimate true wave crests by.an average error of 5%, and true wave troughs by errors averaging 30%.