DEMOVPDIAL

Demonstration of Vaisala Prototype DIAL

15 May 2017 - 11 June 2017

Lead Scientist: Reijo Roininen

Observatory: SGP

Vaisala has developed new cost effective DIAL for water vapor profiling within boundary layer. The new technology will enable 24/7 continuous water vapor profiling at low altitudes with small and low cost instrument. This will enable network of instruments to be deployed in future to improve numerical weather prediction models. The field campaign is established to compare the Vaisala DIAL measurement performance against other instrumentation, like Raman lidar, Radiosondes, AERI and microwave radiometer. The main focus is to understand the Vaisala DIAL performance in high humid conditions at SGP site. In addition to performance comparison against other instruments we would also have a modeler view on the data. As this new on-line water vapor profiler is assumed to improve the NWP’s, we will do data assimilation to NWP models with the Vaisala DIAL. This is to see the benefit and effect of the data for the models. This demonstration will show new low cost DIAL instrument performance and its relevance to forecasting. The new technology embedded in this prototype instrument will enable 24/7 reporting of water vapor profile and improved forecasting especially at low altitudes within boundary layer which are not met with current instruments. Therefore emphasis is also used for the data assimilation process to see the benefits and effects on the date for the models. This would then add the awareness of this new product for modelling and bring more information on the benefits of the measurement and possible impact on forecasting.