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Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data

Received: 16 October 2016     Accepted: 17 November 2016     Published: 12 January 2017
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Abstract

In this paper, point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor are determined using radiosonde data on meteorological parameters obtained in Calabar, Nigeria. The meteorological parameters used are air temperature, pressure and humidity obtained from the radiosonde data archive of Nigerian Meteorological Agency. In view of the poor spatial resolution of radiosonde data, inverse distance weighting spatial interpolation technique is used to obtain the missing data at certain height of interest in the study. The results obtained showed that the point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor showed monthly and seasonal variations. Specifically, Calabar has annual average Point Refractivity Gradient (dN) and Geoclimatic Factor (K) of -125.508 N-units/Km and 6.53762E-05 respectively. The largest dN value of -25.4683 N-units/Km occurred in May whereas the smallest value of -305.2692 N-units/Km occurred in November. Furthermore, there is higher value of point refractivity gradient in the rainy season than in the dry season whereas there is lower value of geoclimatic factor in the rainy season than in the dry season.

Published in International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics (Volume 1, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17
Page(s) 76-81
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Refractivity Gradient, Geoclimatic Factor, Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation, Clear-Air Fading Mechanism, Multipath Fading, Spatial Interpolation

References
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    Iniobong Jackson Etokebe, Mfonobong Charles Uko, Iwuchukwu Uchechi Chinwe. (2017). Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data. International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics, 1(4), 76-81. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17

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    ACS Style

    Iniobong Jackson Etokebe; Mfonobong Charles Uko; Iwuchukwu Uchechi Chinwe. Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data. Int. J. Syst. Sci. Appl. Math. 2017, 1(4), 76-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17

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    AMA Style

    Iniobong Jackson Etokebe, Mfonobong Charles Uko, Iwuchukwu Uchechi Chinwe. Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data. Int J Syst Sci Appl Math. 2017;1(4):76-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17,
      author = {Iniobong Jackson Etokebe and Mfonobong Charles Uko and Iwuchukwu Uchechi Chinwe},
      title = {Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data},
      journal = {International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics},
      volume = {1},
      number = {4},
      pages = {76-81},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijssam.20160104.17},
      abstract = {In this paper, point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor are determined using radiosonde data on meteorological parameters obtained in Calabar, Nigeria. The meteorological parameters used are air temperature, pressure and humidity obtained from the radiosonde data archive of Nigerian Meteorological Agency. In view of the poor spatial resolution of radiosonde data, inverse distance weighting spatial interpolation technique is used to obtain the missing data at certain height of interest in the study. The results obtained showed that the point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor showed monthly and seasonal variations. Specifically, Calabar has annual average Point Refractivity Gradient (dN) and Geoclimatic Factor (K) of -125.508 N-units/Km and 6.53762E-05 respectively. The largest dN value of -25.4683 N-units/Km occurred in May whereas the smallest value of -305.2692 N-units/Km occurred in November. Furthermore, there is higher value of point refractivity gradient in the rainy season than in the dry season whereas there is lower value of geoclimatic factor in the rainy season than in the dry season.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Determination of Refractivity Gradient and Geoclimatic Factor Using Radiosonde Data and Inverse Distance Weighting Spatial Interpolation for Missing Data
    AU  - Iniobong Jackson Etokebe
    AU  - Mfonobong Charles Uko
    AU  - Iwuchukwu Uchechi Chinwe
    Y1  - 2017/01/12
    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17
    T2  - International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics
    JF  - International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics
    JO  - International Journal of Systems Science and Applied Mathematics
    SP  - 76
    EP  - 81
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-5803
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijssam.20160104.17
    AB  - In this paper, point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor are determined using radiosonde data on meteorological parameters obtained in Calabar, Nigeria. The meteorological parameters used are air temperature, pressure and humidity obtained from the radiosonde data archive of Nigerian Meteorological Agency. In view of the poor spatial resolution of radiosonde data, inverse distance weighting spatial interpolation technique is used to obtain the missing data at certain height of interest in the study. The results obtained showed that the point refractivity gradient and geoclimatic factor showed monthly and seasonal variations. Specifically, Calabar has annual average Point Refractivity Gradient (dN) and Geoclimatic Factor (K) of -125.508 N-units/Km and 6.53762E-05 respectively. The largest dN value of -25.4683 N-units/Km occurred in May whereas the smallest value of -305.2692 N-units/Km occurred in November. Furthermore, there is higher value of point refractivity gradient in the rainy season than in the dry season whereas there is lower value of geoclimatic factor in the rainy season than in the dry season.
    VL  - 1
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

  • Department of Electrical/Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria

  • Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria

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