Identification of the Tropopause Using the Jenks Natural Breaks Classification From 205-MHz Stratosphere–Troposphere Wind Profiler Radar
S. P. Sujithlal, K. K. Ahana, K. Satheesan, Ajil Kottayil
Abstract
The tropopause, a critical boundary within Earth’s atmosphere, marks the transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Accurate delineation of this boundary is crucial for research on stratosphere-troposphere exchange and climate change. Traditional wind profiler radar-based method commonly relies on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gradient to identify the tropopause height. We introduce a promising alternative method based on the Jenks natural breaks classification to identify the tropopause from SNR. This method identifies abrupt shifts in the SNR, providing a data-driven approach adaptable to diverse atmospheric conditions. This novel method exhibits a significant correlation of 0.89 and a low root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.29 km with the tropopause obtained from radiosondes. This article outlines the technique, explores the advantages of this method for tropopause identification, and discusses its potential.