Limb Sounding of Water Vapor and Liquid Water Down to the Troposphere

摘要

We studied the possibility to extend altitude coverage of microwave limb sounding instruments from the present 20 km down to tropospheric heights in order to determine profiles of the total atmospheric water content, consisting of water vapor and liquid water (clouds). The determination of such profiles would help to understand exchange processes between the troposphere and the stratosphere. The study shwos that under conditions of low attenuation water profiles can be determined to a minimum altitude around 5 km.