Development for a new ARM radiosonde product SondeParam

Description

Radiosondes provide fundamental ARM observations that quantify the vertical profile of atmospheric state (pressure, temperature, humidity and winds) with important implications for environmental controls on cloud conditions. Within convective cloud conditions, there is an increasing demand for value-added products (VAPs) to facilitate the use of ARM radiosonde datasets. Such VAPs should provide quick and reliable estimates for several standard radiosonde parameters or quantities of interest using common assumptions, as well as open-flexible code for visualization and user interaction.    

The SondeParam VAP will apply several robust algorithms for the calculation of useful radiosonde convective cloud parameters including the convective available potential energy (CAPE), convective inhibition (CIN), and other convective parameters, for several different assumptions regarding the initial parcel characteristics (i.e., surface-based, most unstable, mixed layer). These ARM VAP codes are developed in open, flexible Python formats, with the intention that these parameters/calculations will be incorporated into traditional ARM quick-look radiosonde plotting, yet associated with user-available codes for ease in user reproduction and assumption modification. These considerations will help to ensure a consistent user experience between VAP values and quick-looks, while providing flexibility to users for customized convective parameter calculations and plotting.