| Description: | The software that controls the operation of the RASS portion of the wind profilers does
not correct for vertical air motion when calculating the virtual temperature. We had
thought that this correction was being applied since the software allows the user to select
whether or not to correct for vertical air motion. The vendor has confirmed that this
correction is not being applied even if the user selects it. If the vertical air motion
during the average time (10 min) is 0, then the temperatures are appropriate. However, a 1
m/s vertical wind leads to about 1.6 deg errors. This situation will probably lead to more
variability in the temperatures, particularly during convective situations.
Future software upgrade (Feb, 1995?) will correct problem. |