KWAJEX Sounding Images and Data

The KWAJEX sounding array consists of sites on 6 islands and the NOAA Ship Brown. After every launch, each sounding site transmits their sounding data to the Operations Center. The frequency and hence sounding launch times for a particular 24-hour period are determined on a daily basis for each sounding site by the Surface Sites Coordinator. With the exception of the ship which always launches every 3 hours, the upper-air sounding launch frequencies vary according to weather conditions, whether an aircraft mission occurs, and by location.

Additionally, a 14-day sounding intensive period is scheduled for weeks 6 and 7 of the project (26 August - 8 September) when the frequency of the upper-air observations will be enhanced to 6 per day in the northern portion of the project area. During aircraft missions, sounding launch frequency is increased to every three hours at Kwajalein, Roi, Lae, and Woja. Forty additional sounding are allocated to each of these islands to cover the additional launches associated with aircraft missions.

These variations in sounding launch frequencies are reflected in the four basic operational modes: normal (4 releases/day); suppressed (2 releases/day); aircraft operational period (AOP) (6 releases/day ); and intensive operational period (IOP) (8 releases/day). To access both graphic and tabular summary data for each sounding, select one of the weeks of the experiment above. Differences in the tables for each day reflect the variation in frequency of launches described above. N/S indicates that there was no sounding for the time and location in question. Select "Data Catalog" for a directory of all the tabular data collected from the KWAJEX soundings.

Scientific contacts: Professor Sandra Yuter, KWAJEX Project Science Coordinator; Professor Robert A. Houze, Jr.