Extended Abstract (2.0M)10.3
Probability of cloud-free lne of sght (PCFLOS) derived from CloudSat cloud profiling radar (CPR) and coincident CALIPSO lidar data
Donald L. Reinke, CIRA/Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO; and J. M. Forsythe, K. E. Milberger, and T. H. Vonder Haar
Numerous global �Cloud-Free Line of Sight� climatologies have been derived from satellite observations of cloud. All have inherent limitations due to the fact that they rely on data from passive meteorological sensors which provide a reasonable measurement of the cloud tops, but provide no information about cloud bases or multi-layered clouds below the highest opaque cloud layer.
NASA's exciting new CloudSat and CALIPSO mission data provide, for the first time from space, a direct measurement of the vertical profile of cloud � including cloud bases and the elusive �hidden layers�.
Four years of CloudSat and CALIPSO data are used to generate Cloud Free Line-of-Sight statistics at 20 vertical levels and 10-degree view angle increments from the satellite perspective. This same technique could be used to generate PCFLOS from a point on the ground along the satellite ground-track.
PCFLOS from these new, active, measurement systems can be used to validate and/or improve existing PCFLOS products from passive space or ground-based observations.
Session 10, Next-Generation Satellite Observing Systems
Thursday, 30 September 2010, 10:30 AM-12:00 PM, Capitol D
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