Introduction Page, GVI Sample Imagery

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Plate Carrée Projection of Third Generation D-Level (climatology) mean Precipitable Water Index (PWI) data from February, May, August and November 1996. The images of the Third Generation PWI are in color, where the dark purple indicates an abundance of water vapor or moisture in the atmosphere, the yellow/light green areas indicate moderate water vapor, and the dark brown indicates a very dry atmosphere. PWI gives some indication of the total precipitable water amount in the atmosphere, although there have not been enough studies for this to be definitive. Since these images are the D-Level mean PWI, they represent the mean climatology state (for the months January through March, the years from 1986 through 1991 were used and for months April through December the years 1985 through 1990 were used) of the earth. The D-level provides a useful tool in monitoring the climate when compared to the C-level. Note that the C-Level PWI are generally much wetter than the D-Level, indicating that 1996 was wetter than normal.

FEBRUARY	MAY
AUGUST	NOVEMBER