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Atmospheric Variability Experiment (AVE) Project (DSI-9660)

Entry ID: gov.noaa.ncdc.C00299

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Summary

Abstract: Atmospheric Variability Experiment (AVE) Project is a historical digital data set archived at the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). During February 1964, the Marshall Space Flight Center supported an observational program in which rawinsonde data were collected from a network of 30 stations in the southeastern U.S. at intervals of 3 hours or less. This program, called Project AVE (Atmospheric ... Variability Experiment), presents, for the first time, data with a high degree of time resolution over a spatially and temporally extensive network. Part I of this report - Acquisition and Reduction of the Project AVE Data -is intended primarily as a documentation of the acquisition, checking, and processing of the data. Various printout and tape formats of the data are described, and a complete summary of the data available at each station and the location of known remaining errors are provided in appendices. The hourly parameters included in these data are surface, boundary layer, and upper level humidity, vapor pressure, temperature, precipitation, pressure, and winds. A wind computation scheme designed to extract as much detailed wind information as possible from AVE's unique angle data is discussed. Mesoscale wind features with amplitudes exceeding 2 ms-1 and 3 degrees should be resolvable at elevation angles approaching 12 degrees, while macroscale wind data are provided to about 6 degrees. Estimates of the accuracy of the thermodynamic and wind data are presented and comparisons with routine data made. These indicate that the extra care and precision used in evaluating the AVE data result in increased accuracy over data routinely available. Part II - Atmospheric Variability and Mesoscale Structure of the Atmosphere as Revealed by the Project AVE Data -presents results of first studies utilizing these data. Analysis of pressure-height and temperature on constant pressure charts at 3-hourly intervals shows that large scale features (wavelengths greater than 600 km) with amplitudes only half the values of commonly cited observational uncertainties exhibit space and time continuity. Examination of 3-hourly tendencies of important meteorological variables indicate that they typically exceed measurement uncertainties, may often be inadequately represented by interpolation of 12-hourly observations, and exhibit appreciable spatial variation. Time sections in the lower troposphere constructed from 90-minute soundings reveal features on scales seldom seen by the meteorologist; horizontal dimensions are on the mesoscale and vertical wavelength characteristically about 1 km. Such features can account for appreciable temporal variability on short time scales. Finally, it is demonstrated that the AVE detailed wind data resolve, in some detail, theme so scale wind structure of the lower stratosphere noted by various investigators. Observations of these features at two stations permitted their wavelength to be estimated at 600 km, and their motion, relative to the surface, to be approximately along the direction of the mean wind but at about half its speed.

Purpose: To make a wide range of climatic data available to researchers and the public.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: data set

CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: Ground Condition

Related URL

Link: VIEW EXTENDED METADATA

Description: View Source Metadata document from the Metadata Manager and Repository (NMMR).

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: 43.0

S: 25.0

E: -75.0

W: -98.0

Data Set Citation

Dataset Originator/Creator: National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Dataset Title: Atmospheric Variability Experiment (AVE) Project (DSI-9660)

Dataset Release Date: Unknown

Dataset Release Place: Washington, DC

Dataset Publisher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Data Presentation Form: tabular digital data

Online Resource: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 1964-02-19

Stop Date: 1964-02-28

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > NORTH AMERICA > UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > ALTITUDE > BAROMETRIC ALTITUDE

ATMOSPHERE > ALTITUDE > GEOPOTENTIAL HEIGHT

ISO Topic Category

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

ELEVATION

Platform

BALLOONS

RADIOSONDES

Instrument

RADIOSONDES

RAWINSONDES

Project

AVE > Atmospheric Variability Experiment

ESIP > Earth Science Information Partners Program

Quality ATTRIBUTE ACCURACY REPORT: Not provided

LOGICAL CONSISTENCY REPORT: Unknown

COMPLETENESS REPORT: Completeness information not available.

LINEAGE/PROCESS STEP:
PROCESS DESCRIPTION: Unknown
PROCESS DATE: Unknown

Access Constraints ACCESS CONSTRAINTS: None

DISTRIBUTION LIABILITY: Every effort has been made to ensure that these data are accurate and reliable within the limits of current NOAA quality control procedures. NOAA can only certify that the data provided to its customers is an authentic copy of the records which were accepted for inclusion in NOAA archives. NOAA cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in the data, nor as a result of the failure of the data to function on a particular system. NOAA makes no warranty, expressed or implied, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty.

Use Constraints None

Ancillary Keywords

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

GOSIC

G3OS/

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Originating Center

Data Center

National Climatic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce

Data Center URL: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/
Dataset ID: ______DSI-9660 ____

Data Center Personnel
Name: NCDC CUSTOMER SERVICE Phone: 828-271-4800 Fax: 828-271-4876 Email: ncdc.orders at noaa.gov Contact Address: 151 Patton Avenue, Room 120 City: Asheville Province or State: NC Postal Code: 28801-5001 Country: USA