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Long-term Estimates of the Number of Cloud Layers from Radiosonde Data for 1964–2017 in Different Latitudinal Zones

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Abstract

The statistical characteristics are computed for the number of cloud layers based on radiosonde data from 965 aerological stations located at different latitudes of the globe for the period of 1964–2017 and on the CE method for the determination of cloud boundaries and cloud amount from the temperature and humidity profiles retrieved from radiosonde data. The calculations are performed for the atmospheric layer from the surface to the height of 10 km. The geographic distribution of seasonal and annual mean values as well as of standard deviations is obtained for the number of cloud layers. The amplitude of their regional variations is determined, that allowed specifying the spatiotemporal features of atmospheric layering into cloud and intercloud layers. The results agree with data of aircraft-based sounding, radar data, radiosonde data, and the results obtained from free balloon experiments.

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Funding

The development of the CE method for the retrieval of cloud boundaries and cloud amount from radiosonde data and its testing were supported by the Soros grant (Z1000) and by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grants 01-05-65285 and 02-05-64088).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. All-Russian Research Institute of Hydrometeorological Information–World Data Center, 249035, Obninsk, Kaluga oblast, Russia

    I. V. Chernykh & O. A. Aldukhov

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  1. I. V. Chernykh
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  2. O. A. Aldukhov
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Correspondence to I. V. Chernykh.

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Russian Text ©The Author(s), 2020, published in Meteorologiya i Gidrologiya, 2020, No. 4, pp. 18–32.

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Chernykh, I.V., Aldukhov, O.A. Long-term Estimates of the Number of Cloud Layers from Radiosonde Data for 1964–2017 in Different Latitudinal Zones. Russ. Meteorol. Hydrol. 45, 227–238 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3103/S1068373920040020

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