Validation of TOA broadband shortwave and longwave fluxes derived from MTSAT over the Tropical Western Pacific

Satellites can be a useful tool in monitoring climate change, and can be used to view large areas of the earth such as the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP). The TWP, which has been viewed by MTSAT1-R from July 2005 through July 2010, is scheduled to be covered by MTSAT2 as of July 2010. While these satellites provide continuous monitoring over the TWP, they do so using narrowband visible and infrared measurements which only comprise a small part of the total radiative flux. Broadband shortwave and longwave fluxes are measured by the CERES instrument aboard Terra and Aqua satellites, but these polar-orbiting satellites are limited to twice-daily views of a particular region. In order to derive climatically relevant broadband flux information over the TWP, narrowband-to-broadband fits are derived by matching CERES and MTSAT radiances.

These narrowband-to-broadband fits have been implemented within the VISST (Visible Infrared Solar Split-Window Technique) satellite cloud and radiative property retrieval framework. Broadband fluxes derived for MTSAT1-R for selected cases in 2006-2007 will be validated with respect to available CERES fluxes, as well as modeled fluxes derived from Fu-Liou radiation code. Preliminary results from the MTSAT2 satellite after July 2010 will also be validated with FLASHFlux. This work represents ongoing efforts to provide a complete cloud and radiative property dataset for the TWP, covering 10°N-20°S, 120°E-180°; the record started with GOES9 in May 2003- October 2005, and is extended with the MTSAT series.