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The GEWEX Global Water Vapor Project (GVaP)--U.S. Opportunities (1999) / Chapter Skim
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The Need for GVaP
Pages 8-9

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From page 8...
... If water vapor transport is to be accurately estimated, then water vapor concentrations and wind velocities are required at sufficient accuracy and resolution to account for the atmosphere's often-distinct vertical gradients of water vapor and wind. Furthermore, in regions like the upper troposphere and stratosphere, where water vapor concentrations can be less than tens of parts per million, water vapor has significant radiative and chemical effects that need to be properly quantified and modeled to address questions about anthropogenic and natural global change, including the feedback of water vapor on changes in radiative forcing.
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From page 9...
... Long-term water vapor monitoring with satellites can also be problematic due to several factors such as gradual changes in instrument sensitivity and local crossing time, abrupt changes resulting from satellite replacements, and short or intermittent system lifetimes. As a consequence of such difficulties, the research community relies heavily on global analyses of water vapor produced by operational weather centers or similar institutions.
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Key Terms

  • upper troposphere
  • vapor measurements
  • vapor concentrations
  • changes resulting
  • lower troposphere

  • sufficient accuracy
  • spatial variability
  • hydrological cycle
  • affecting land
  • vertical resolution

  • address questions
  • vapor produced
  • global coverage
  • operational analyses
  • problematic due

  • natural global
  • vapor sufficiently
  • adequate sampling
  • abrupt changes
  • atmosphere influences

  • vapor required
  • international climate
  • thereby affecting
  • provide global
  • measurement technologies

  • accurately estimated
  • dynamically constrained
  • local crossing
  • vapor measurement
  • global hydrological


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