Balloon-Borne Sounding System (SONDE)
Instrument Categories: Atmospheric Profiling
General Overview
![Picture of the Balloon-Borne Sounding System (SONDE)](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090814102133im_/http://www.arm.gov/instruments/images/sonde.jpg)
The balloon-borne sounding system (SONDE) provides in-situ measurements (vertical profiles) of both the thermodynamic state of the atmosphere, and the wind speed and direction.
Primary Measurements Taken
The following measurements are those considered scientifically relevant. Refer to the netCDF File Header Descriptions (Data Object Design Files) for the list of all available measurements, including those recorded for diagnostic or quality assurance purposes.
Available Value-Added Products
This instrument is an input to the following value-added products, which provide improved measurements or derived quantities.
- lblsonde - BBSS: derived, relative humidity scaled with LBL and MWR
- lssonde - BBSS: derived, relative humidity scaled with MWR
- sondewndcalc - Derived: calculated winds from the sondewrpn (Balloon-borne sounding system)
Available Datastreams
- isssonde - Integrated Sounding System (ISS): meteorological data vertical profile
- isssonde10s - Integrated Sounding System (ISS): meteorological data vertical profile, 10-s resolution
- sonde - Balloon-borne Sounding System (BBSS): meterological data profile
- sondewnpn - Balloon-borne sounding system (BBSS): Vaisala-processed winds, press., temp, &RH
- sondewnpr - Balloon-borne sounding system (BBSS): Vaisala winds, research press., temp, &RH
- sondewrpn - Balloon-borne sounding system (BBSS): research winds, Vaisala press., temp, &RH
- sondewrpr - Balloon-borne sounding system (BBSS): research-mode winds, presssure, temp, &RH
Sites / Facilities
Note: Click the "" to expand/collapse the list.
- North Slope Alaska (NSA)
- Central Facility, Barrow AK (C1)
- Southern Great Plains (SGP)
- Central Facility, Lamont, OK (C1)
- Hillsboro, KS (Boundary) (B1)
- Lamont, OK (Extended, secondary) (E14)
- Morris, OK (Boundary) (B5)
- Purcell, OK (B6)
- Vici, OK (Boundary) (B4)
- Tropical Western Pacific (TWP)
- Central Facility, Darwin, North Australia (C3)
- Central Facility, Manus I., PNG (C1)
- Central Facility, Nauru Island (C2)
- ARM Mobile Facility (FKB)
- Black Forest, Germany (M1)
- ARM Mobile Facility (GRW)
- Graciosa Island, Azores, Portugal (M1)
- ARM Mobile Facility (HFE)
- Shouxian, Anhui, China (M1)
- ARM Mobile Facility (NIM)
- Niamey, Niger (M1)
- ARM Mobile Facility (PYE)
- Point Reyes, CA (M1)
Mentor(s)
Richard Coulter
(630) 252-5833
rlcoulter@anl.gov
Michael Ritsche
associate
(630) 252-1554
mtritsche@anl.gov
Donna Holdridge
associate
(630) 252-5148
djholdridge@anl.gov