Accuracy of Era-Interim Re-analysis Data on Some Atmospheric Parameters over Open Oceans, Estimated with the AMSR2 Data

The accuracy of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis (Era-Interim) data on total atmospheric water vapor content (WVC), cloud liquid water content (CLW) and sea surface wind speed (SWS) over the Arctic open ocean area, was estimated using the geophysical parameters, retrieved from satellite data, as a source of reference data. The Era-Interim reanalysis WVC, CLW and SWS were compared with the parameters, retrieved from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) data using improved algorithms, for one year of data. The Era-Interim reanalysis WVC, CLW and SWS errors, as compared with the AMSR2 parameters, were calculated both for the whole data ranges and specifically for high value ranges. Analysis of one year data set showed that the Era-Interim WVC had the accuracy of 1.1 kg/m
²
, high correlation, and no systematical bias relative to the AMSR2 retrieved WVC. Consideration of the range of WVC > 15 kg/m
²
led to 50% increase in the error and appearance of a systematical bias of about 2 kg/m
²
. The Era-Interim SWS had an error of 1.6 m/s, which increased up to 3 m/s for the range of high winds with SWS > 15 m/s. The accuracy of Era-Interim LWC relative to AMSR2 retrieved LWC was found to be unsatisfactory.