GPS Radio Occultation: Results from CHAMP, GRACE and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC

Authors :: Jens Wickert
Grzegorz Michalak
Torsten Schmidt
Georg Beyerle
Chio-Zong Cheng
Sean B. Healy
Stefan Heise
Cheng-Yung Huang
Norbert Jakowski
Wolfgang Kohler
Christoph Mayer
Dave Offiler
Eiji Ozawa
Alexander G. Pavelyev
Markus Rothacher
Byron Tapley
Christina Arras
Source :: Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Vol 20, Iss 1, p 035 (2009)
Publication Year :: 2009
Publisher :: Springer, 2009.
Abstract: The Taiwan/US FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (FORMOsa SATellite mission - 3/Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate) satellite nstellation was successfully launched on 14 April 2006. It is expected to leverage the use of the GPS (Global Positioning System) radio occultation data for atmospheric and ionospheric research to improve global weather forecasts and aid climate change related studies. FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC, together with the European MetOp, German CHAMP and US/German GRACE-A satellites, form a 9 satellite constellation for precise atmospheric sounding on a global scale. This satellite constellation is expected to provide about 3500 occultation measurements daily.