Moisture content of the troposphere from GPS observations and water vapor radiometer measurements

Abstract

The values of the integrated moisture content from GPS measurements and a microwave water vapor radiometer (WVR) are compared. Measurements are regularly carried out at the permanent observation point BADG located at the Badary Observatory (Institute of Applied Astronomy of Russian Academy of Sciences). GPS antenna, WVR device and weather station are located in close proximity to each other. This significantly affected the accuracy of the processed data. Differences in the values of the integrated moisture content obtained from GPS observations and measurements with a microwave water vapor radiometer are analyzed in terms of mean and standard deviations, as well as the cross-correlation coefficient. In summer, the average deviation of the difference in the level of moisture content in the troposphere according to GPS and WVR observations was about 0.63% of the average summer value. In winter, the average deviation of the difference was about 0.21% of the average winter value. A high degree of reliability of data on the moisture content of the troposphere obtained by the method of permanent GPS measurements is shown.