Statistical Results of Two Rawinsonde Processors Sampling a Single Sonde

During the November, 1999 "Profiler" validation field test at WSMR, NM, a single LORAN rawinsonde observation (raob) was launched and simultaneously tracked by two, independent Vaisala receivers. The experiment was repeated several times during the field test. This paper describes a series of Paired-Difference Standard Normal Statistical Tests (PDT) that was conducted to compare the data from the two Vaisala receiver systems. The PDT permits allowances to be made for minor inherent Vaisala system inaccuracies, via the statistical "null hypothesis." This PDT feature also enabled useful data comparisons without demanding perfect correlation between the two raob system outputs. Overall the two systems compared closely. In a few instances where the PDT results were inconclusive, a more commonplace linear regression analysis was used to establish the systems' comparability.