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Research Journal of Earth and Planetary Sciences Vol.3(2) pp.50 – 59 April 2013
Available online http://www.globalresearchjournals.org/journal/rjeps
Copyright ©2013 Global Research Journals
Full Length Research
Variations in the Tropospheric Surface Refractivity over Makurdi, Nigeria
Isikwue, B. C.1*, Kwen, Y. A.1 and Chamegh, T.M1.
1Department of Physics, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
1* Corresponding author’s E- mail ; bcisikwue@gmail.com
| Abstract |
This work studied the hourly and seasonal variations in the tropospheric surface refractivity (N) over Makurdi (7.74oN, 8.51oE), Nigeria. The results showed among other things that the tropospheric surface refractivity was prevalent between February and October. The rainy season refractivity occurred between the hours of 0800h LT and 0400h LT, while in the dry season, it occurred between 00and 1200h LT. The dry term contributions to N were 68.3% and 77.2% in rainy and dry seasons respectively. Thus, the tropospheric surface refractivity over Makurdi, Nigeria is driven by the dry term which is a function of pressure.
Key words: Temperature, barometric Pressure, relative humidity, tropospheric surface refractivity, saturation vapor pressure.