Degree: PhD or MSc (by research).
Key-words: GPS, meteorology, stochastic modelling, IGS, geodesy, ocean tide loading, radiosondes, water vapour radiometers
Entry: Bachelors degree (preferably 1st class honours) or higher in geodesy, physics, mathematics, statistics, or related engineering / science discipline with strong mathematical background.
Supervisors: Dr Nigel Penna and A/Prof Mike Stewart.
Project Funding: Curtin University.
Student Funding: Student is required to apply for APA, IPRS or other scholarship.
Collaboration: Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre (Melbourne).
Resources: AUSLIG / IGS data, Bureau of Meteorology pressure, temperature and radiosonde data, Sun workstation, Bernese and in-house GPS software.
Starting Date: Unrestricted.
Project Description:
Ground-based GPS has been developed in the last decade to a valuable tool for determining atmospheric water vapour, an essential parameter for weather and climate studies. Unlike existing meteorological techniques, such as radiosondes and water vapour radiometers, GPS is a continuous, all-weather water vapour source. Consequently, various groups are researching the impact of GPS derived water vapour on numerical weather prediction, although a realistic quality indicator of the GPS water vapour estimate can be difficult to determine. The project will focus on both the initial GPS meteorology issues for Australia and stochastic modelling issues for GPS meteorology. A strategy for near real-time mode estimation of atmospheric water vapour using GPS and IGS Ultra Rapid orbits over Australia will be developed. Stochastic modelling, ie the determination of the correct correlations between all observations, will be researched to improve both the accuracy of the water vapour estimates and realistic quality measures. The potential for semi-parametric least squares (developed for use in GPS software recently at Curtin) for determining water vapour will also be investigated.A strong UNIX and computer programming background is desirable (or willingless to learn), since C, Perl and UNIX shell programs will be used and developed during the project. A working knowledge of Fortran will also be advantageous but not essential. Knowledge of meteorology is not needed, although would be advantageous.
Recommended Reading:
Baker H C, Dodson A H, Penna N T, Higgins M and Offilier D (2001). "Ground-Based GPS Water Vapour Estimation: Potential for Meteorological Forecasting". Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, Vol 63, pp1305-1314, August 2001. Bevis M, Businger S, Herring T A, Rocken C, Anthes R A and Ware R H (1992). "GPS Meteorology: Remote Sensing of Atmospheric Water Vapor Using the Global Positioning System". Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol 97, No D14, pp15787-15801, October 20, 1992. Duan J, Bevis M, Fang P, Bock Y, Chiswell S, Businger S, Rocken C, Solheim F, van Hove T, Ware R, McCluskey S, Herring T A and King R W (1996). "GPS Meteorology: Direct Estimation of the Absolute Value of Precipitable Water". Journal of Applied Meteorology, Vol 35, pp830-838. Emardson T R and Derks H J P (1998). "On the Relation Between the Wet Delay and the Integrated Precipitable Water Vapour in the European Atmosphere". Meteorological Applications. Ge M, Calais E and Haase J (2000). "Reducing Satellite Orbit Error Effects in Near Real-Time GPS Zenith Tropospheric Delay Estimation for Meteorology". Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 27, No 13, pp1915-1918, July 1, 2000. Liou Y-A, Teng Y-T, van Hove T and Liljegren J C (2001). "Comparison of Precipitable Water Observations in the Near Tropics by GPS, Microwave Radiometer, and Radiosondes". Journal of Applied Meteorology, Vol 40, pp5-15, 2001. Rocken C, van Hove T and Ware R (1997). "Near Real-Time GPS Sensing of Atmospheric Water Vapor". Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 24, pp3221-3224, 1997. Tregoning P, Boers R, O'Brien D and Hendy M (1998). "Accuracy of Absolute Precipitable Water Vapor Estimates from GPS Observations". Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol 103, No D2, pp28701-28710. Ware R H, Fulker D W, Stein S A, Anderson D N, Avery S K, Clark R D, Droegemeier K K, Kuettner J P, Minster J B and Sorooshian S (2000). "SuomiNet: A Real-Time National GPS Network for Atmospheric Research and Education". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, April 2000.