Winds Measured by a UHF Doppler Radar and Rawinsondes: Comparisons Made on Twenty-Six Days (August-September 1977) at Arecibo, Puerto Rico

Abstract

Vertical profiles of horizontal winds in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere were measured by the UHF Doppler radar at Arecibo, Puerto Rico (18.35°N, 66.75°W) on 26 days in August and September 1977. On comparing these with horizontal winds measured by routine rawinsonde balloons launched some 80 km east of Arecibo, fairly good agreement between every wind profile can be seen. Most of the difference between the two sets of measurements in the lower stratosphere is shown to be caused by the experimental error of the rawinsonde, while the spatial and/or temporal variations in the wind field seem to dominate the difference in the upper troposphere.