DSS presents a comprehensive set of global, 6 hourly upper air radiosonde observation (RAOB) feedback record reports from RAOBs used in the ECMWF 45-year reanalysis (ERA-40) covering the period from September 1957 to August 2002. RAOBs, from multiple data sources, were assimilated into an ECMWF model and produced ERA-40. The metadata generated during the ERA-40 quality control (QC)/data assimilation process were appended to the input observations. The final combination of input observations and feedback metadata are called feedback record reports.

Feedback record reports include a set of input observation (obs) variables, analyzed obs variables, and associated metadata information. Input obs variables include pressure, vertical sounding significance, geopotential, temperature, dewpoint temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. Analyzed obs variables are derived from input obs variables, and were used in the model assimilation. Analyzed obs variables include temperature, pressure, height, relative humidity, specific humidity, U-wind, and V-wind speed components. The feedback metadata available includes QC flags for entire reports and individual obs variables, and differences between individual obs variables and interpolated six-hour forecasts and final model analyses. Further, in the case of QC report or obs variable rejection, some details why rejection occurred are given in the codes provided.

This global set of RAOB feedback record reports includes land lauched radiosondes that fall within the ERA-40 "temp" data category. Reports are derived from individual input datasets. Data may be available at mandatory or significant levels from 1000mb to 1mb. Higher vertical resolution is also possible.

These data are available only for non-commercial research in the U.S. and some locations in Canada. User requirements and a registration form can be accessed here. This dataset is maintained in a DSS ASCII format. Weekly ASCII files are available online to authorized users through the ds366.0 data page. Authorized users can also access the archive via the NCAR Mass Store System. Software which extracts data from the ASCII file and places it into memory arrays for further processing can be found in the software directory. Primary ECMWF data products including forecast and analysis fields can be found under the ERA-40 dataset home page.