GRUAN (GCOS Reference Upper Air Network) is a network of stations that will carry out accurate observations of essential climate variables between the surface and the middle stratosphere using radiosondes (weather balloons). The EMRP project Metrology for pressure, temperature, humidity and airspeed in the atmosphere (ENV07 MeteoMet) has been presented at the 4th GRUAN Implementation-Coordination Meeting (ICM-4) in Tokyo, Japan. The focus of this meeting was to define what needs to be done between ICM-4 and January 2014, which is when GRUAN is expected to become fully operational.
The aim of project ENV07 is to improve climate models by improving measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity and airspeed. This will support metrological and meteorological research and will enable a better interpretation of climate data as measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity and airspeed are key to understanding the climate of the Earth. ENV07 deliverables of interest for the GRUAN activities include: radiosondes calibrations, intercomparison of humidity sensors, accurate definition of water vapor formulae, GPS and ground based reference stations.
