First steps towards real-time weather front mapping using routine high-resolution aircraft-derived UK observations
Protts, Martin Deryck ; Stone, Edmund Keith
Mode-Selective (Mode-S) Enhanced Surveillance (EHS)-derived meteorological data are a form of aircraft-derived data (ADD), an evolution of aircraft-based observations (ABO) intended to increase the number of aircraft that can report meteorological data parameters such as wind speed and pressure (Stone and Pearce, 2016). ABO have been used since the First World War, but early ABO were superseded by radiosondes for two reasons: their accuracy was reduced by issues with friction (Ewen et al., 2007), and the high altitudes sometimes resulted in pilots blacking out due to hypoxia (Moninger et al., 2003). In short, radiosondes were more accurate and far safer. However, the increasing prevalence of commercial aviation after World War II allowed ABO to make a comeback, beginning with simple vocal reports from pilots (Moninger et al., 2003). These evolved into automated reports starting in 1979, and the 1980s saw the development of Automatic Meteorological Data Relay (AMDAR), which started to become operational in 1986 and became increasingly prevalent throughout the 1990s (Moninger et al., 2003). Today, new technology allows observations to be collected from a significant number of commercial aircraft using Mode-S EHS. Mode-S EHS derived meteorological data is an emerging technology, and is currently only available in a few regions of the world. Despite this, coverage is sufficient for study and to potentially have useful applications. This article explores whether or not Mode-S EHS can be used in a Geographical Information System (GIS) to map, interpret, and analyse weather fronts. If this were possible, these data could aid weather forecasting, the study of climate change, and the analysis of weather patterns.</p>
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