Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-83
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-2024-83
21 May 2024
 | 21 May 2024
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal AMT.

Exploring commercial GNSS RO products for Planetary Boundary Layer studies in the Arctic Region

Manisha Ganeshan, Dong L. Wu, Joseph A. Santanello, Jie Gong, Chi O. Ao, Panagiotis Vergados, and Kevin Nelson

Abstract. Commercial GNSS RO products are being touted for their coverage in polar regions where COSMIC-2 observations don’t reach. This study seeks to explore their value for Arctic PBL investigations where sufficient lower atmospheric penetration of GNSS RO is vital for representing the persistently shallow PBL. Both NASA purchased commercial RO products, Spire and GeoOptics, have improved lower tropospheric penetration probability over the Arctic Ocean compared to MetOp observations, with Spire having greater volume of observations (nearly two orders of magnitude) compared to GeoOptics. A seasonal cycle is evident in the RO penetration probability (except for Spire) that is found to be related to the water vapor pressure. For winter months, at the 500 m level, which is the standard cut-off threshold used for GNSS RO PBL studies, both products yield a penetration probability of ~80 % of total observations over the Arctic Ocean and up to ~100 % over the frozen sea ice region. As a result, both products are able to sufficiently represent the shallow Arctic PBLH (less than 300 m depth) which is comparable to the PBLH from MERRA-2 reanalysis, unlike MetOp observations which fails to capture PBL heights below 400 m.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Manisha Ganeshan, Dong L. Wu, Joseph A. Santanello, Jie Gong, Chi O. Ao, Panagiotis Vergados, and Kevin Nelson

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on amt-2024-83', Anonymous Referee #1, 21 Jun 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on amt-2024-83', Anonymous Referee #2, 08 Jul 2024
Manisha Ganeshan, Dong L. Wu, Joseph A. Santanello, Jie Gong, Chi O. Ao, Panagiotis Vergados, and Kevin Nelson
Manisha Ganeshan, Dong L. Wu, Joseph A. Santanello, Jie Gong, Chi O. Ao, Panagiotis Vergados, and Kevin Nelson

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Short summary
This study explores the potential of two newly launched commercial GNSS RO satellite missions for advancing Arctic lower atmospheric studies. The products have a good sampling of the lower Arctic atmosphere, and are useful to derive the planetary boundary layer (PBL) height during winter months. This research is a step towards closing the observation gap in polar regions due to the decomissioning of COSMIC-1 GNSS RO mission, and the lack of high latitude coverage by its successor (COSMIC-2).