Characterization of Water Vapour Variability Based on GPS Sensing

Water vapour variability is related to the global warming. It is expected to increase due to intensity in the severe of weather conditions and solar influence on atmospheric events. As a source of precipitation, it is the biggest contributor to the ‘natural greenhouse effect’ and this ‘positive feed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The international journal of climate change. Impacts and responses 2009, Vol.1 (1), p.17-30
Main Authors: Mohd. Ali, Mohd. Alauddin, Suparta, Wayan, Yatim, Baharudin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ambiguity
Climate change
Climate system
Feedback
Global climate
Global positioning systems
Global warming
GPS
Greenhouse effect
Inactive
Time series
Variability
Water
Water vapor
Weather
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Summary:Water vapour variability is related to the global warming. It is expected to increase due to intensity in the severe of weather conditions and solar influence on atmospheric events. As a source of precipitation, it is the biggest contributor to the ‘natural greenhouse effect’ and this ‘positive feedback’ makes water vapour play a critical role in the global climate system. However, water vapour remains one of the most poorly characterized meteorological parameters. Improved knowledge of its distribution and mechanisms will have a major impact on a better planning of resources as well as the key to a better understanding of global climate change, in particular in such sensible areas as the poles. This paper aims to characterize polar water vapour and to detect their evolution using GPS sensing. It is obvious that the tremendous capability of low-cost GPS technique has the essential tool in detecting global climate change such as to measure accurately the vertical integrated precipitable water vapour (PWV). Five year of PWV time series at Scott Base station, Antarctica from 2003 to 2007 together with the surface meteorological parameters are presented. Although the solar variations in modulating recent climate change still ambiguous in a short-term studies, their evidence will be investigated through the water vapour response to the solar forcing. Results show significant seasonal signal in the Antarctic water vapour cycle, which is very active (highest) during the summer and inactive (lowest) for the winter periods.
ISSN:1835-7156
DOI:10.18848/1835-7156/CGP/v01i01/37097