Annual Variability of water vapor from GPS and MODIS data over the Indo-Gangetic Plains

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Abstract

The knowledge of water vapor variability is important at any location in India for weather forecast, numerical weather prediction and also in the early information about the onset of monsoon. In the absence of ground observations, the satellite remote sensing and the Global Positioning System (GPS) have emerged as an important tool in estimation of water vapor. The total column atmospheric water vapor, obtained from Global Positioning System (GPS) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), is found to be very dynamic over the Indo-Gangetic (IG) plains. In this paper, we present our preliminary analysis of GPS along with satellite (MODIS) derived water vapor and its annual variability over the IG plains of India (Varanasi - BHU station and Kanpur – IITK station) during the period January, 2007 to December, 2007. The monthly and seasonal variations of water vapor show strong variability and its relation with the monsoon. The role of GPS and satellite derived meteorological parameters in understanding the dynamics of the monsoon and climate conditions over Indian sub-continent are discussed.

Comments

This article was originally published in Journal of the Indian Geophysical Union ,volume 13, issue 1, in 2009.

Peer Reviewed

1

Copyright

Indian Geophysical Union

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