Radiosonde data from the Arctic Ocean 2018 expedition

Atmospheric profile measurements of temperature, humidity, pressure and wind speed from radiosonde (Vaisala RS92) weather balloons. Data also include calculated parameters (potential temperature, equivalent potential temperature, etc.).

The dataset enables analysis of the atmospheric structure in the central Arctic. Data were incorporated into the GTS global forecast system immediately following the completion of each profile.

Radiosondes were launched every 6 hours from icebreaker Oden during the Arctic Ocean 2018 (AO2018, also referred to as MOCCHA-ACAS-ICE) expedition to the central Arctic Ocean in August and September 2018. Data are interpolated to a common vertical axis with uniform (10 m) spacing.

Merged radiosonde files including calculated data (potential temperature, equivalent potential temperature, etc.). Data are interpolated to a common vertical axis with 10 m steps. Humidity was corrected on profiles where the radiosonde selected the wrong (heated) humidity sensor. Soundings where the normal EDT files (standard Vaisala processed file) stopped too early, due to a loss of the GPS signal, were recovered from the buffer files. Due to the loss of the GPS signal wind data are not available beyond the heights where the normal EDT file stopped. Radiosonde data were uploaded to the Global Telecommunication System (GTS) during the expedition.

Data processing performed by Jutta Vuellers, Institute for Climate & Atmospheric Science, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, Leeds, United Kingdom.

Radiosondes were operated by Michael Tjernström, John Prytherch (MISU), Peggy Achtert (University of Reading), Ian Brooks, Grace Porter and Mike Adams (ICAS, University of Leeds).

The sounding system was provided by the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) Atmospheric Measurement Facility (AMF). NCAS AMF should be acknowledged in any publication making use of this data.