A GPS network for tropospheric tomography in the framework of the Mediterranean hydrometeorological observatory Cévennes-Vivarais (southeastern France)

A GPS network deployed in southeastern France reveals strong correlations between tropospheric water vapor depletion and precipitation patterns, offering new insights into hydrometeorological processes. The study, conducted within the Mediterranean hydrometeorological observatory Cévennes-Vivarais (OHM-CV), utilized a combination of permanent and temporary GPS receivers to monitor precipitable water vapor (PWV) with high temporal resolution. By inverting data from a dense local network using tomographic techniques, researchers obtained 3-D fields of tropospheric water vapor content, which showed good alignment with precipitation fields derived from meteorological radar. This approach demonstrates the potential of GPS tomography for improving our understanding and prediction of rain events.

Brenot, H., Walpersdorf, A., Reverdy, M., van Baelen, J., Ducrocq, V., Champollion, C., Masson, F., Doerflinger, E., Collard, P., & Giroux, P. (2014). A GPS network for tropospheric tomography in the framework of the Mediterranean hydrometeorological observatory Cévennes-Vivarais (southeastern France). Atmospheric Measurement Techniques, 7(2), 553–578. https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-7-553-2014