GPS / GSM Based Embedded System for Atmospheric Boundary Layer Profiling and Weather Monitoring

Mesoscale weather conditions in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) are directly related to the daily life of human society. But the understanding about mesoscale weather is very limited compared to large scale weather phenomena such as tropical cyclones, monsoon, heat wave, cold wave etc. Operational meteorological agencies are unable to properly monitor and predict mesoscale weather phenomena, due to the difficulties involved in continuous atmospheric measurements. However, local self governing bodies (panchayats, municipalities, corporations etc. ), can monitor mesoscale weather, if provided with required infrastructure and instruments to monitor local weather. The present study is to design and implement a system for monitoring the local weather by using the advantages of state-of-art technologies like Global Positioning System (GPS), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) and embedded system. The monitoring system is developed using the best available meteorological sensors. The temperature measurements are found comparable with mercury thermometer. The temperature sensor have very good accuracy especially for a warm atmospheric condition. This study presents the daytime variations of temperature, pressure and humidity during four consecutive days in the middle of July 2014 at Pattimattom (10.02 degN, 76.45 degE), a village station near Kochi. One among the four days is a clear sky day and another one is a rainy day. Hence the study is able to reveal the contrast between a dry day and a wet day.