Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2012
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2012
17 Jun 2025
 | 17 Jun 2025

Development and application of the Round-trip Drifting Sounding System (RDSS)

Xiaozhong Cao, Qiyun Guo, Haowen Luo, Rongkang Yang, Peng Zhang, Jianping Guo, Jincheng Wang, Die Xiao, Jianping Du, Zhongliang Sun, Shijun Liu, Sijie Chen, and Anfan Huang

Abstract. Meteorological sounding primarily refers to the balloon-borne radiosonde, which conducts a ground-to-uppe-rair “ascent phase” sounding. This paper introduces the Round-trip Drifting Sounding System (RDSS), an innovative system characterized by three observation phases—'Ascent-Drift-Descent' (ADD)—in which all three phases of sounding observation are executed through single balloon launch. Several key technologies were successfully developed, including the carrier (zero-pressure dual-mode meteorological balloon), the payload (System-on-Chip (SoC) module for meteorological sounding), air-to-ground data reception and ground-to-air control command transmission. RDSS data processing framework based on 'Internet cloud + Instrument terminal' was established. Data quality control methods and data assimilation techniques of RDSS were also developed. An interactive experiment encompassing observations and forecasting was conducted to evaluate the quality of experimental data at each phase of RDSS. The quality evaluation results indicate that the data quality in the RDSS 'ADD' phases meets the breakthrough targets outlined in WMO CIMO-8. The observation quality of wind and temperature in both the ascent and descent phases meets the ideal targets specified in WMO CIMO-8. A numerical experiment on the impact of RDSS data assimilation on forecasting demonstrated a 2 % reduction in precipitation forecast error at 06:00 and 18:00 (UTC), along with an average 1 % improvement in precipitation forecast accuracy following the assimilation of RDSS data. Furthermore, a new trajectory prediction method for RDSS, based on CMA-MESO, achieved an average simulated landing-point error of less than 40 km. Notably, the accuracy of first guess positioning and trajectory prediction for Typhoon 'Saola' in 2023 was significantly enhanced through RDSS data assimilation, reducing the average trajectory prediction error by 40 %. On January 1, 2024, operational observations using RDSS commenced at four stations in Guangdong, China. Starting in July 2024, an operational experiment at one hundred and twenty-seven stations within the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) was planned, with the goal of achieving full operational capability at all CMA stations by 2026.

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Xiaozhong Cao, Qiyun Guo, Haowen Luo, Rongkang Yang, Peng Zhang, Jianping Guo, Jincheng Wang, Die Xiao, Jianping Du, Zhongliang Sun, Shijun Liu, Sijie Chen, and Anfan Huang

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2012', Anonymous Referee #1, 11 Jul 2025
    • CC1: 'Reply on RC1', Hui Xiao, 17 Jul 2025
    • CC2: 'Reply on RC1', Haowen Luo, 17 Jul 2025
      • AC1: 'Re: egusphere-2025-2012-ACs', Xiaozhong Cao, 28 Aug 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2012', Anonymous Referee #2, 16 Jul 2025
    • CC3: 'Reply on RC2', Haowen Luo, 17 Jul 2025
      • AC1: 'Re: egusphere-2025-2012-ACs', Xiaozhong Cao, 28 Aug 2025
  • RC3: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-2012', Anonymous Referee #3, 04 Aug 2025
    • AC1: 'Re: egusphere-2025-2012-ACs', Xiaozhong Cao, 28 Aug 2025
Xiaozhong Cao, Qiyun Guo, Haowen Luo, Rongkang Yang, Peng Zhang, Jianping Guo, Jincheng Wang, Die Xiao, Jianping Du, Zhongliang Sun, Shijun Liu, Sijie Chen, and Anfan Huang
Xiaozhong Cao, Qiyun Guo, Haowen Luo, Rongkang Yang, Peng Zhang, Jianping Guo, Jincheng Wang, Die Xiao, Jianping Du, Zhongliang Sun, Shijun Liu, Sijie Chen, and Anfan Huang

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Short summary
This study aims to introduce in-situ profiling techniques and cost-effective technology for upper-air observation—the Round-trip Drifting Sounding System (RDSS)—which reduces costs relative to intensive sounding and achieves three sounding phases: Ascent-Drift-Descent (ADD). The RDSS not only provides additional data for weather analysis and numerical prediction models but also makes substantial contributions to targeted observations.
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