Introduction to Meteorological Sounding Systems

A sounding system is an atmospheric detection instrument designed to acquire high-altitude meteorological data; it consists of a radiosonde and a ground-based receiving system. Carried aloft by a balloon, the radiosonde measures meteorological parameters-such as temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed-in real time, transmitting this data to the ground system via radio or the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. This system is widely utilized in fields such as weather forecasting, disaster prevention and mitigation, and aerospace operations.

Since 2023, the China Meteorological Administration has fully initiated a comprehensive upgrade and modernization of its BeiDou-based sounding systems. The plan aims to complete the upgrading of 131 sounding stations nationwide by 2025, thereby significantly enhancing both positioning precision and wind measurement accuracy.