ANALYSIS OF ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY AND CONVECTIVE ACTIVITIES FOR RADIO APPLICATIONS OVER SELECTED LOCATIONS IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the thermodynamic structure of the convective atmosphere during the rainy period of March to October, and the dry period of November to February, in the southwestern part of Nigeria. Eight (8) years of re-analysis data, spanning January 2011 to December 2018 across five stations in southwestern Nigeria were employed for the study. The stability indices employed for the analysis include Humidity Index (HI), K-index (KI), Boyden-index (BI) and the Total-totals index (TT). Frequency of occurrence, spatial distribution, monthly variation and time series analyses of the indices established the predominance of thunderstorm activities at the locations during the rainy months of March to October. This underscores the high suitability of the stability indices for predicting atmospheric convective activities in these locations. The results play important role in providing relevant data for radio link designers, meteorologists, and aerospace practitioners, for effective planning and design of atmospheric operational activities.