High Resolution Atmospheric and Surface Variability from Combined Mams and Vas Radiances

Measuring of the variation of atmospheric and surface quantities such as moisture and stability at small scales is an important step to monitoring, understanding and forecasting mesoscale processes. While few ground based observing systems provide the high resolution coverage with sufficient areal extent necessary to study mesoscale variation, satellite observing systems have proven to be extremely useful in this endeavor. For instance, moisture and stability products from the geostationary platform VISSR Atmospheric Sounder (VAS) exhibit interesting detail at the meso B (20-200 km) level (Chesters et al., 1986; Smith et al., 1985). However, variation at the meso C scale (2-20 km) and at the lower end of the meso B scale ( about 20-100 km) suffer from the effects of noise. Noise can be greatly reduced by using a high resolution data collection system. The Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS), with its 100m resolution over a 36km swath, is well suited to provide high resolution mesoscale information about the atmosphere and surface of the earth. A more complete depiction of the atmospheric state at the smaller scales is possible through the combination of the high horizontal resolution MAMS data with the vertical sounding data of the VAS.