RTS Weather Web

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The Meteorological Sounding System (MSS) is an auto-tracking telemetry system with ranging capability. The sounding dataare obtained from rawinsondes using non-transponding and transponding sondes released and tracked from Kwajalein and Roi-Namur, or from other islands using a portable radio theodolite.

The systems are fully automated when the MSS rawinsonde is used, feeding digitized tracking and telemetry data into a minicomputer for processing and data reduction. With other sondes, telemetry data are manually extracted from an analog strip-chart recording and entered into the computer.

Szeged accommodationThe radio theodolite system employs a portable phased-array radio direction finder and laptop computer that can be quickly installed at virtually any location.

Alojamiento descontado BesenovaHigher altitude measurements are obtained from meteorological rockets, including PWN-11D standard datasonde and PWN-12A Robin Spheres. The PWN-11D is normally used for atmospheric measurements at altitudes between 20 and 70 km. The rocket ejects a transmitting instrument containing a thermistor at the rocket's flight apogee. Temperature information is received and processed by the MSS system. Wind speed and direction are determined from radar tracking data. For measurements at very high altitudes (up to 90 km), wind, temperature, pressure, and density are computed from the rate of fall of an inflatable Robin sphere released at apogee. The rate of fall measurements are derived from radar tracking data.

Wind data may be obtained using the Wind Finding Radar (WFR-100) located on Roi-Namur, or by pilot balloon(PIBAL) from Omelek or Kwajalein. The wind finding radars track balloon borne reflectors to provide data on the winds aloft. The 3cm wavelength of the radars allows them to track targets in cloud cover or light precipitation. The visual PIBAL observations are taken to obtain low-level wind data to support meteorological rocket launch operations and for routine forecast support. PIBAL observations are limited by cloud and rain conditions.