The GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN): Guide
The GCOS Reference Upper‐Air Network (GRUAN) guide provides both mandatory operating requirements and guidelines on how to achieve the operating protocols specified in the GRUAN Manual (GCOS‐170). Mandatory operating protocols are distinguished by the words “must” or “shall” while guidelines are distinguished by the words “could” or “should”. The primary goals of GRUAN are to provide vertical profiles of reference measurements suitable for reliably detecting changes in global and regional climate on decadal time scales, initially for temperature, pressure and water vapour, with the aim of expanding to other Essential Climate Variables (ECVs), as resources permit, in liaison with other existing scientific networks. The measurements will provide a traceable reference standard for global satellite‐based measurements of atmospheric ECVs, will ensure that potential gaps in satellite measurement programmes do not invalidate the long‐term climate record, will be a reference standard for the measurements made within the existing GCOS Upper‐Air Network (GUAN), and will provide data to fully characterize the properties of the atmospheric column. These goals have been agreed to by GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) and WMO (World Meteorological Organisation).
Collection(s) and Series: ; GCOS- No. 171
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)
Tags: Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) ; Guidelines ; Climate monitoring ; GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) 
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