edu.ucar.opensky::articles:6148 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-26T15:14:47.356598 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7125st9 REFRACTT 2006: Real-time retrieval of high-resolution, low-level moisture fields from operational NEXRAD and research radars 2008-10-01T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7125st9 https://doi.org/10.1175/2008BAMS2412.1 Roberts, Rita author Fabry, F. author Kennedy, P. author Nelson, Eric J. author Wilson, James W. author Rehak, Nancy Ann author Fritz, J. author Chandrasekar, V. author Braun, John J. author Sun, Juanzhen author Ellis, Scott M. author Reising, S. author Crum, T. author Mooney, L. author Palmer, R. author Weckwerth, Tammy author Padmanabhan, S. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher The Refractivity Experiment for H₂O Research and Collaborative Operational Technology Transfer (REFRACTT), conducted in northeast Colorado during the summer of 2006, provided a unique opportunity to obtain high-resolution gridded moisture fields from the operational Denver Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) and three research radars using a radar-based index of refraction (refractivity) technique. Until now, it has not been possible to observe and monitor moisture variability in the near-surface boundary layer to such high spatial (4-km horizontal gridpoint spacing) and temporal (4 - 10-min update rates) resolutions using operational NEXRAD and provide these moisture fields to researchers and the National Weather Service (NWS) forecasters in real time. The overarching goals of REFRACTT were to 1) access and mosaic the refractivity data from the operational NEXRAD and research radars together over a large domain for use by NWS forecasters in real time for short-term forecasting, 2) improve our understanding of near-surface water vapor variability and the role it plays in the initiation of convection and thunderstorms, and 3) improve the accuracy of quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPF) through improved observations and assimilation of low-level moisture fields. This paper presents examples of refractivity-derived moisture fields from REFRACTT in 2006 and the moisture variability observed in the near-surface boundary layer, in association with thunderstorm initiation, and with a cold frontal passage. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright 2008 American Meteorological Society (AMS). Permission to use figures, tables, and brief excerpts from this work in scientific and educational works is hereby granted provided that the source is acknowledged. Any use of material in this work that is determined to be "fair use" under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act or that satisfies the conditions specified in Section 108 of the U.S. Copyright Act (17 USC §108, as revised by P.L. 94-553) does not require the AMS's permission. Republication, systematic reproduction, posting in electronic form on servers, or other uses of this material, except as exempted by the above statement, requires written permission or a license form the AMS. Additional details are provided in the AMS Copyright Policy, available on the AMS Web site located at (http://www.ametsoc.org/AMS) or from the AMS at 617-227-2425 or copyright@ametsoc.org. None eng geoscientificInformation