DQRID : D990124.2
Start DateStart TimeEnd DateEnd Time Data Quality Metric
05/27/1992000005/31/20022359Suspect
more
Subject:
SGP/SONDE - Dry bias in sonde RH
DataStreams:DsgpsondeB1.a0, sgpsondewrprC1.a0, sgpsondeB1.a1, DsgpsondeptuB5.00, sgpsondewrpnB5.a0,
sgpsondeB4.00, DsgpsondeC1.a0, sgpsondeB4.a1, sgpsondewrpnB6.00, sgpsondeC1.a1,
sgpsondewrpnB6.a0, sgpsondewrprB1.a1, sgpsondewrpnB4.a0, sgpsondewrpnB4.00, sgpsondewrprC1.a1,
DsgpsondeptucalcC1.c1, sgpsondewnpnB5.a0, sgpsondewnpnB4.a1, sgpsondewrpnC1.a1,
sgpsondeB5.a1, sgpsondewnpnB1.a0, DsgpsondeB5.a0, DsgpsondeptuB4.00, sgpsondewnpnB6.a0,
DsgpsondenogcptucalcB4.c1, sgpsondewrprB5.a1, sgpsondewnprC1.a0, sgpsondeB1.00,
DsgpsondeptucalcB4.c1, sgpsondewnpnB6.a1, sgpsondewrpnB4.a1, sgpsondewrprB1.00,
DsgpsondenogcwrpnB5.c1, sgpsondewnpnC1.a0, DsgpsondeB5.00, DsgpsondeB4.a1, DsgpsondenogcwrpnC1.c1,
sgpsondeB5.a0, sgpsondeC1.00, DsgpsondeB4.a0, DsgpsondenogcptucalcC1.c1,
DsgpsondeptuB1.00, sgpsondewrprB4.00, sgpsondeB1.a0, sgpsondewrprB5.00, sgpsondewrpnB5.a1,
sgpsondeptuC1.00, sgpsondewrpnB1.a1, sgpsondewrprB1.a0, sgpsondewrprC1.00, DsgpsondeB1.a1,
DsgpsondenogcptucalcB1.c1, DsgpsondenogcwrpnB1.c1, DsgpsondeB4.00, DsgpsondeB5.a1,
sgpsondewrpnB6.a1, DsgpsondeptuC1.00, sgpsondewrpnB1.00, DsgpsondeC1.a1, DsgpsondeptucalcB5.c1,
DsgpsondenogcwrpnB4.c1, sgpsondeB6.00, sgpsondewnpnC1.a1, DsgpsondeptuB6.00,
DsgpsondenogcptucalcB5.c1, sgpsondewnpnB1.a1, sgpsondeB5.00, sgpsondewnpnB5.a1,
sgpsondewnpnB4.a0, DsgpsondeC1.00, sgpsondewrpnB1.a0, sgpsondeB4.a0, sgpsondewrprB4.a0,
sgpsondewrpnC1.a0, sgpsondewrpnB5.00, sgpsondewnprC1.a1, sgpsondewrpnC1.00, sgpsondewrprB4.a1,
DsgpsondeptucalcB1.c1, DsgpsondeB1.00, sgpsondeC1.a0, sgpsondewrprB5.a0
Description:
Vaisala has confirmed ARM findings of an apparent dry bias in the
relative humidity measured by RS-80H radiosondes.  The cause of
the dry bias is thought to be contamination of the humidity sensor
by volatile organic substances originating from some plastic parts
of the radiosonde.  The amount of contamination is a function of
the time between the date of sonde manufacture and its use.  All
RS-80H sondes manufactured before week 34 of 1998 will show this
bias.  After week 34 of 1998 Vaisala changed its packaging to
reduce, but not eliminate the contamination problem.

Starting with RS-80 radiosonde manufactured in late June 2000 Vaisala
enclosed the sensor boom in an inert plastic shield, thereby eliminating
the contamination that caused the dry bias.

Starting in May 2001 at the SGP, May 2002 at the TWP, and later 2002
at the NSA, ARM has moved to using RS-90 radiosondes.  These sondes
are not subject to the contaminatino that caused the dry bias.

Vaisala is in the process of developing an algorithm that can be 
used to estimate the correct RH from knowledge of the sonde age.
All of the ARM sounding data have sufficient metadata available
to apply the correction.

Additionally, ARM has funded a Science Team effort (Milosevich) to
develop a 'best' correction algorithm for the RS-80 radiosonde humidity
data.  When completed this algorithm will allow us to reprocess the
accumulated RS-80 data and produce a new data platform with what we
hope will be more accurate data.
Suggestions: 
Measurements:DsgpsondeptuB5.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB6.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondeB1.a0:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB6.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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DsgpsondeptuB1.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB5.a1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprB4.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeC1.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB1.a1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnB6.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewnpnB6.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondeB5.a0:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondenogcptucalcB1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondenogcptucalcB5.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptuC1.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnC1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeB5.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrprB5.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptuB4.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptucalcB5.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondeC1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeB5.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeC1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondeB1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeB1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrpnB5.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrpnB5.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewnprC1.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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DsgpsondenogcwrpnB4.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrprB1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewnpnB5.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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DsgpsondenogcptucalcB4.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnB5.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondeB6.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprB4.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeptuC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB6.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondenogcptucalcC1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprB4.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondenogcwrpnC1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptucalcB4.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondeB4.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondeB4.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewrprC1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewrpnB4.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondenogcwrpnB5.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprC1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondenogcwrpnB1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnB1.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrpnB4.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewnpnB1.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewrpnC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprB5.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrprB5.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewnprC1.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewnpnB4.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeB5.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondeC1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondeB1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnC1.a0:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrpnB5.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptucalcB1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB4.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnC1.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewrprB1.a0:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondewrpnB1.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrprB1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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sgpsondewrpnC1.a1:
  • rh
  • dp
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DsgpsondeptuB6.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeptucalcC1.c1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB4.a1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB4.a0:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewnpnB4.a1:
  • dp
  • rh
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sgpsondeB4.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB5.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeC1.a0:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeC1.a1:
  • Development data stream - documentation not supported
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sgpsondewrpnB4.00:
  • Raw data stream - documentation not supported
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DsgpsondeB1.00:
  • Development raw data stream - documentation not supported
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