Simulation studies related to GARP

A series of simulation studies has been conducted in an effort to obtain information relevant to the planning of the First GARP Global Experiment. Thus far, the studies have used only the Mintz-Arakawa 1969 model, and have been concerned mainly with the utilization of IR vertical sounding measurements. The initial results indicate that temperature profiles derived from these measurements can play a valuable role, provided they are used on a continuing, day-to-day basis over an extended period. Temperature data used in this way appear to have a controlling influence on all other meteorological variables in the model, including winds and pressure in particular. Assuming a mean error of 1C in the temperature data, and assuming the coverage provided by the planned GARP satellite configuration of two polar orbiting satellites containing IR sounders with full side-scan capability, the experiments indicate that winds are determined within an error of 2 m sec−1 and pressures within an error of 2 mb. The wind and ...