A comparison of targeting techniques for 2005 Atlantic Tropical Cyclones

As has been the case in recent years, during 2005 the G-IV aircraft made several synoptic surveillance missions for tropical cyclone reconnaissance. For planning such missions, objective guidance for targeting regions of interest is produced. A comparison of guidance made using four different methods, the Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (ET KF), Ensemble Spread, Singular Vectors (SV) and Adjoint-Derived Sensitivity Steering Vector (ADSSV), will be compared. The similarities and differences between the respective techniques in the target regions that they recommend for guidance will be presented. Techniques will be compared for the following storms: Arlene, Cindy, Dennis, Emily, Irene, Katrina, Ophelia, and Rita.