Higher resolution is needed for other applications.
Vertical resolution should be sufficient to monitor major variability in atmospheric structure. Ideally, radiosondes should ascend twice per day to monitor atmospheric variability, provide reliable monthly statistics, validate satellite retrievals, allow assessment of radiosonde instrument biases, and avoid biases which could arise through atmospheric tides. A single ascent per day is, though useful, a bare minimum. Table 5.1 Upper-air data quality requirements. Reliable, complete metadata are needed, to allow bias-adjustment.