Extended Abstract (2.2M)6.4
Cloud classification and cloud property retrieval from MODIS and AIRS (Invited Presentation)
Jun Li, CIMSS/Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; and W. P. Menzel, T. J. Schmit, Z. Li, and J. J. Gurka
The Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) measurements from the Earth Observing System’s (EOS) Aqua satellite enable global monitoring of the distribution of clouds. The MODIS is able to provide at high spatial resolution (1 ~ 5km) a cloud mask, surface and cloud types, cloud phase, cloud-top pressure (CTP), effective cloud amount (ECA), cloud particle size (CPS), and cloud optical thickness (COT). The combined MODIS/AIRS system offers the opportunity for cloud classification and property retrievals improved over those possible from either system alone; this is demonstrated in this study with both simulated and real radiances. A fast cloudy radiative transfer model for AIRS accounting for cloud scattering and absorption has been created. A variational (1DVAR) methodology is used to retrieve the CTP, ECA, CPS and COT from AIRS longwave window region (650 – 950 cm-1 and 1050 – 1130 cm-1) cloudy radiance measurements. Operational MODIS CTP, ECA, CPS and COT products with high spatial resolution serve as background and first guess information in the AIRS 1DVAR cloud retrieval process. The atmospheric temperature profile, moisture profile and surface skin temperature used in the AIRS radiance calculation in the cloud retrieval processing are from the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) forecast analysis. The 1DVAR approach is applied to process the AIRS longwave cloudy radiance measurements; results are compared with operational MODIS cloud products, GOES cloud products, AIRS alone 1DVAR cloud property retrievals, as well as the ground observations. This study is relevant to optimal use of data from the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) and Hyperspectral Environmental Suite (HES) system – ABI / HES which is to fly on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R).
Session 6, Retrievals and Cloud Products (Continued)
Thursday, 23 September 2004, 11:00 AM-12:00 PM
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