Rocketsonde Repeatability and Stratospheric Variability

In an attempt to separate instrument system “noise” from actual stratospheric variability, six pairs of meteorological rocketsondes (Datasonde instruments) were launched on 20 June 1969, with five pairs being released at 1-hr intervals; the two individual rockets comprising a pair were separated by time intervals of no more than 5 min. The average rms difference between paired soundings was 1.08C and ∼3 m sec−1. These rather low rms values contrasted sharply with rather large changes observed in both the temperature and wind fields. Further research is needed into the interpretation of this variability in terms of mesoscale and small-scale phenomena.