The retrieval of relative humidity (%) is performed over 6 atmospheric layers + 1 surface layer:
-85.180 to 122.040 hPa
-122.040 to 253.710 hPa
-253.710 to 436.950hPa
-436.950 to 702.730 hPa
-702.730 to 882.800 hPa
-882.800 to 985.880 hPa
-985.880 to 1013.25 hPa (corresponding to the surface layer)
The integrated water vapour is given in kg.m-2.
![map_zoom_UTH1_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png map_zoom_UTH1_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png](images/stories/mission/map_zoom_UTH1_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png)
![map_zoom_UTH2_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png map_zoom_UTH2_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png](images/stories/mission/map_zoom_UTH2_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png)
![map_zoom_UTH3_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png map_zoom_UTH3_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png](images/stories/mission/map_zoom_UTH3_SAPHIR_L2A2.00_9_07_I_2011_12_09_00821_00822_00.png)
References:
Aires F., C. Prigent, W.B. Rossow, and M. Rothstein, 2001: A new neural network approach including first-guess for retrieval of atmospheric water vapor, cloud liquid water path, surface temperature and emissivities over land from satellite microwave observations, Journal of Geophysical Research, vol. 106, No. D14, pp. 14,887-14,907.
Aires F., F. Bernardo, H. Brogniez, and C. Prigent, 2010: An innovative calibration method for the inversion of satellite observations, J. of Applied Meteorol. Climatol., vol. 49, p2458-2473.
Aires F., F. Bernardo, and C. Prigent, 2012: Atmospheric water-vapour profiling from passive microwave sounders over ocean and land. Part I: Methodology for the Megha-Tropiques mission, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., DOI: 10.1002/qj.1888
Bernardo F., F. Aires , and C. Prigent, 2012: Atmospheric water-vapour profiling from passive microwave sounders over ocean and land. Part II: Validation using existing instruments, Q. J. R. Meteorol. Soc., DOI: 10.1002/qj.1946
Prigent C., F. Aires, and W.B. Rossow, Land Surface Microwave Emissivities over the Globe for a Decade, 2006: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, DOI:10.1175/BAMS-87-11-1573, pp. 1572-1584.
Karbou F., Aires, F., Prigent, C. Retrieval of temperature and water vapor atmospheric profiles over Africa using AMSU microwave observations, 2005: Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 110, No. D7, D07109 10.1029/2004JD005318.
Buehler and John, 2005: A simple method to relatve microwave radiances to upper tropospheric humidity, J. Geophys. Res, 110, doi:10.1029/2004JD005111.
Schmetz and Turpeinen, 1988: Estimation of the Upper Tropospheric Relative Humidity field from METEOSAT water vapor image data, J. App. Meteor., 27, 889-899.
Soden and Bretherton, 1993: Upper Tropospheric Relative HUmidity from the GOES 6.7 microns channel: Method and climatology for July 1987, J. Geophys Res., 98, 16,669-16,688.
Spencer and Braswell, 1997: How dry is the tropical free troposphere ? Implications for a global warming theory. BAMS, 78, 1097-1106.