A new atmospheric motion vector intercomparison study

Abstract

This study furthers a line of previously completed research regarding the similarities and differences between the operational Atmospheric Motion Vector (AMV) algorithms of various satellite-derived wind producers. By using a common set of MSG/SEVIRI images and ancillary data, past intercomparison studies assessed how the cloudy AMVs from each unique wind producer compared in terms of coverage, speed, direction, and cloud height (Genkova et al. 2008; Genkova et al. 2010). The current study focuses on including the CMA and NWC SAF AMV algorithms in the intercomparison in order to quantify its performance relative to other AMV algorithms, on updating the results of the previous AMV intercomparison studies due to the changes that have occurred since 2009, and lastly, on performing follow up studies, identified in the previous intercomparison work, to analyze particular issues in pursuance of a more complete understanding of how the different AMV algorithms compare.