An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database

Abstract Atmospheric rivers (ARs) feature transient filaments of enhanced moisture transport. Given their significant influence on regional weather extremes and global hydrological cycle, there have been extensive AR studies based on reanalyses or in‐situ measurements. However, reanalyses may misrep...

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Main Authors: Tianying Liu, Shineng Hu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111316
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author Tianying Liu
Shineng Hu
author_facet Tianying Liu
Shineng Hu
author_sort Tianying Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Atmospheric rivers (ARs) feature transient filaments of enhanced moisture transport. Given their significant influence on regional weather extremes and global hydrological cycle, there have been extensive AR studies based on reanalyses or in‐situ measurements. However, reanalyses may misrepresent real‐world ARs, and in‐situ measurements are only available in limited space and time. In this study, we propose an algorithm to reconstruct the observed vertically integrated vapor transport (IVT) field using two satellite‐observed quantities, vertically integrated water vapor and sea surface winds. This algorithm is first validated by atmospheric reanalyses with high correlations of IVT and is then applied to satellite observations for real‐world IVT reconstruction. The developed satellite‐based AR database shows similar large‐scale statistics but with a significantly lower AR frequency in the midlatitudes. This new AR database with high spatial and temporal resolutions will provide a unique observational archive for studying ARs and related rainfall extremes.
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-a3b97ece2e8745158515ca7b14d03f922025-08-20T03:52:42ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01525n/an/a10.1029/2024GL111316An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River DatabaseTianying Liu0Shineng Hu1Division of Earth and Climate Sciences Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC USADivision of Earth and Climate Sciences Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham NC USAAbstract Atmospheric rivers (ARs) feature transient filaments of enhanced moisture transport. Given their significant influence on regional weather extremes and global hydrological cycle, there have been extensive AR studies based on reanalyses or in‐situ measurements. However, reanalyses may misrepresent real‐world ARs, and in‐situ measurements are only available in limited space and time. In this study, we propose an algorithm to reconstruct the observed vertically integrated vapor transport (IVT) field using two satellite‐observed quantities, vertically integrated water vapor and sea surface winds. This algorithm is first validated by atmospheric reanalyses with high correlations of IVT and is then applied to satellite observations for real‐world IVT reconstruction. The developed satellite‐based AR database shows similar large‐scale statistics but with a significantly lower AR frequency in the midlatitudes. This new AR database with high spatial and temporal resolutions will provide a unique observational archive for studying ARs and related rainfall extremes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111316atmospheric riversatellite observationdata reconstruction
spellingShingle Tianying Liu
Shineng Hu
An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
Geophysical Research Letters
atmospheric river
satellite observation
data reconstruction
title An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
title_full An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
title_fullStr An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
title_full_unstemmed An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
title_short An Algorithm to Develop a Satellite‐Based Atmospheric River Database
title_sort algorithm to develop a satellite based atmospheric river database
topic atmospheric river
satellite observation
data reconstruction
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL111316
work_keys_str_mv AT tianyingliu analgorithmtodevelopasatellitebasedatmosphericriverdatabase
AT shinenghu analgorithmtodevelopasatellitebasedatmosphericriverdatabase
AT tianyingliu algorithmtodevelopasatellitebasedatmosphericriverdatabase
AT shinenghu algorithmtodevelopasatellitebasedatmosphericriverdatabase