aerological

Aerology is the branch of meteorology that studies the atmosphere and its processes, with emphasis on observations and phenomena occurring above the surface. The term "aerological" is the adjective form relating to aerology. In early scientific literature the field was sometimes referred to simply as aerology, and its scope included the vertical structure and dynamics of the atmosphere, including temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, composition, clouds, and radiation, as well as atmospheric layers such as the troposphere and stratosphere.

The word derives from Greek roots meaning "air" and "study" and was widely used in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Over time, the term has largely been superseded by meteorology and atmospheric science, with "upper-air meteorology" used to describe observations and models of the atmosphere above the surface.

Methods and data: Aerological knowledge has developed through soundings from weather balloons and, later, aircraft reconnaissance, radiosondes, ozonesondes, lidar, radar, and satellite observations. These measurements provide profiles of temperature, humidity, pressure, wind, and chemical constituents as a function of altitude, enabling weather forecasting and studies of atmospheric structure.

Relation to other fields: Aerology remains a foundational aspect of meteorology and atmospheric science, contributing to forecasting, climate research, and aviation safety. In modern practice, the term is more common in historical contexts or in languages and institutions that retain traditional terminology.

See also: meteorology; atmospheric science; upper-air observation; radiosonde.