GNSS Precipitable Water Vapor from an Amazonian Rain Forest Flux Tower

• DOI: 10.1175/jtech-d-11-00082.1
• Publication Date: 2011-08-05T17:22:58Z
• Authors: David K. Adams; Rui M. S. Fernandes; Jair M. F. Maia
• Keywords: Precipitable water

Abstract Understanding the complex interactions between water vapor fields and deep convection on mesoscale requires observational networks with high spatial (kilometers) temporal (minutes) resolution. In equatorial tropics, where dominates vertical distribution of most important greenhouse substance—water—these are nonexistent. Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS) meteorological offer temporal/spatial resolution precipitable vapor, but infrastructure exigencies great. The authors report here very accurate (PWV) values calculated from a GNSS receiver installed highly nonideal Amazon rain forest flux tower. Further experiments mechanically oscillating platform demonstrate that errors biases approximately 1 mm (2%–3% PWV) can be expected when compared stable reference for two different geodetic grade receivers/antennas processing methods [GPS-Inferred Positioning (GIPSY) GAMIT]. implication is fixed antennas unnecessary calculation regardless techniques or receiver.