Rh. Langland et al., Targeted observations in FASTEX: Adjoint-based targeting procedures and data impact experiments in IOP17 and IOP18, Q J R METEO, 125(561), 1999, pp. 3241-3270
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Earth Sciences
Journal title
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY
The Fronts and Atlantic Storm-Track EXperiment (FASTEX) provided an opportu
nity for testing targeted-observing procedures in a real-time framework dur
ing January and February 1997. This study describes the use of singular vec
tors (SVs) for objective targeting during FASTEX, and the evaluation of the
impact obtained from targeted dropsonde data, satellite wind data, and oth
er observations on 1-2 day forecast skill in intensive observation periods
(IOPs) 17 and 18.
In IOP17, targeted dropsondes improve a 42 h forecast of L41 (Low 41; cyclo
nes were numbered in sequence throughout FASTEX) in terms of sea-level pres
sure, but the forecast skill is degraded in the upper troposphere. It is su
ggested that the degraded forecast may be caused by an incomplete survey of
the SV target area, that improved the analysis in one region, bur made the
analysis less accurate in an adjacent part of the target area where no dro
psonde data were provided. In a series of experiments, the best 42 h foreca
st of L41 is obtained by the addition of a few radiosonde profiles provided
specially for FASTEX at off-times, that provide observational data in the
most sensitive part of the SV target area. The analysis differences introdu
ced by the radiosonde profiles are much smaller in magnitude than those fro
m the dropsonde data, but have a larger forecast impact, because they occur
in an area that has larger error growth rates in this forecast.
In a series of experiments for IOP18, the best 24 h forecast of L44 is obta
ined using a combination of targeted-dropsonde data and satellite wind data
. Both data types can also be used separately to improve this forecast. The
assimilation of satellite wind data and ship-based soundings in areas of w
eak initial-condition sensitivity ('null' areas) is shown to have minimal i
mpact on the forecast error. The target areas identified by SVs in these tw
o IOPs occur in strongly baroclinic regions, tending to favour the right-en
trance and left-exit regions of the upper-level jet, but with greatest sens
itivity near 600 hPa.