First example of Sentinel-1 InSAR PWV maps assimilation into a high resolution NWP to improve the forecast of convective system in atmosphere
We study the impact of assimilating very high-resolution Precipitable Water Vapor (PWV) maps into a non-hydrostatic Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model by the three-dimensional variational (3D-var) technique. PWV maps are obtained by processing the Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), using the SAR interferometry (InSAR) technique. Changes in the 3D distribution of water vapor, temperature and wind are studied to explain the onset of a deep convection phenomenon.