Atmospheric microwave absorption parameter estimation near 22 GHz

Atmospheric absorption parameters at microwave frequencies are estimated using synthesizer radiometer data from experiments at San Diego Miramar, CA and at West Palm Beach, FL. Measurements of well-calibrated downwelling brightness temperatures, T/sub B/, at up to nine frequencies spanning the 22.235 GHz water vapor line are compared to model predictions using radiosonde measurements at each site. Model parameters are adjusted by non-linear regression to fit the radiometer data.