Impact of new aircraft observations Mode-S MRAR in amesoscale NWP model

Abstract

The impact of recently available high-resolution Mode-S Meteorological Routine Air Report (MRAR) wind and temperature observations is evaluated in the mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP) model Aire Limitée Adaptation dynamique Développement InterNational (ALADIN). Data available from the airspace communicating with the Ljubljana Airport in Slovenia are assimilated by using the three-dimensional variational assimilation procedure on top of all other observations assimilated operationally. A data selection method based on aircraft type was shown to be important for the first application of the new observations in ALADIN. The evaluation of Mode-S MRAR impact included both winter and summer periods. In both seasons a clear improvement of wind and temperature forecasts was found for in the short forecast range, 1-3 h. The impact in the 24 h forecast range depends on season, with a consistent positive improvement of the boundary layer temperature forecasts obtained for the stable anticyclonic winter situations. In summer, the impact was mixed and it was found to be sensitive to the multivariate aspects of the moisture analysis. Overall presented results suggest that the new aircraft-derived observations Mode-S MRAR have a significant potential for mesoscale NWP and improved data assimilation modeling.