The Australian Bureau of Meteorology implemented a physically based real-time TOVS processing system in November 1987. This system provides atmospheric temperature and moisture soundings, total ozone concentration, and cloud height and amount information for the Australian region. The scheme uses either a stat-istical retrieval based, or an operational numerical weather prediction (MVP) model derived, first guess for temperature and moisture fields. Numerically forecast or current analysis-based first guess surface temperature and surface moisture fields are also used. In addition, in the retrieval process, the scheme uses operational numerical analysis and prognosis fields to control the quality of the processing of radiance data into meteorological parameters. Empirical adjustments to calibration and atmospheric transmittances are also used operationally, based on historic synchronous satellite and radiosonde data. This system has been run continuously in real-time from late 1987 and provides real-time data to the National Meteorological Centre, Regional Forecast Centres, and research workers.
Marshall et al. (Fri,) studied this question.