A novel approach for assimilating GNSS tropospheric gradient information to improve numerical weather prediction

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00025615%3A_____%2F26%3AN0000002" target="_blank" >RIV/00025615:_____/26:N0000002 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169809526000335" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169809526000335</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108769" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108769</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

A novel approach for assimilating GNSS tropospheric gradient information to improve numerical weather prediction

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has emerged as a well-established atmospheric observing system, with Zenith Total Delay (ZTD) and integrated water vapor routinely assimilated by several global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) centers. While co-derived tropospheric gradients effectively capture water vapor horizontal anisotropy, their assimilation has yet to be widely adopted. Here, we introduce a novel approach for assimilating GNSS tropospheric gradients into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model by constructing pseudo-ZTD observations from GNSS-derived ZTD and gradient data. Through two comparative experiments, we evaluate the potential influence of GNSS tropospheric gradients on WRF forecasts. The results indicate that assimilating these gradients improves humidity and wind field predictions in the lower-to-middle troposphere (850–500 hPa), with a neutral impact on surface fields. Verification against radar estimates further demonstrates enhanced precipitation forecast skills, particularly for heavy precipitation events, by better resolving the spatial distribution and intensity of precipitation systems. A diagnosis of a precipitation event suggests that the assimilation of GNSS tropospheric gradients is able to adjust the forecast mid-level moisture distribution and modulate the forecast upward motion, thereby influencing the formation of spurious precipitation.

Název v anglickém jazyce

A novel approach for assimilating GNSS tropospheric gradient information to improve numerical weather prediction

Popis výsledku anglicky

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has emerged as a well-established atmospheric observing system, with Zenith Total Delay (ZTD) and integrated water vapor routinely assimilated by several global and regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) centers. While co-derived tropospheric gradients effectively capture water vapor horizontal anisotropy, their assimilation has yet to be widely adopted. Here, we introduce a novel approach for assimilating GNSS tropospheric gradients into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model by constructing pseudo-ZTD observations from GNSS-derived ZTD and gradient data. Through two comparative experiments, we evaluate the potential influence of GNSS tropospheric gradients on WRF forecasts. The results indicate that assimilating these gradients improves humidity and wind field predictions in the lower-to-middle troposphere (850–500 hPa), with a neutral impact on surface fields. Verification against radar estimates further demonstrates enhanced precipitation forecast skills, particularly for heavy precipitation events, by better resolving the spatial distribution and intensity of precipitation systems. A diagnosis of a precipitation event suggests that the assimilation of GNSS tropospheric gradients is able to adjust the forecast mid-level moisture distribution and modulate the forecast upward motion, thereby influencing the formation of spurious precipitation.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10509 - Meteorology and atmospheric sciences

Projekt

—

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2026

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Atmospheric Research

ISSN

0169-8095

e-ISSN

1873-2895

Svazek periodika

334

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

108769

Stát vydavatele periodika

NL - Nizozemsko

Počet stran výsledku

14

Strana od-do

—

Kód UT WoS článku

001669484900002

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105027440032