Using Infrared Hyperspectral Measurements to Analyze Tropical Cyclone Ioke

Satellite high spectral resolution infrared measurements provide information for cloud vertical characterization when optically semi-transparent clouds at high altitude cover cloud layers at lower altitudes. The perturbation of the outgoing infrared thermal radiation caused by cloudiness in the sensor field of view is described by a semi-discrete multilevel cloud model (54 fixed pressure layers at range 100 – 900 hPa), The solution of the corresponding inverse problem represents an estimate of the vertical profile of effective cloud absorption. Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) hyperspectral measurements over Tropical Cyclone Ioki (August 2008) are analyzed and processed to infer the vertical-horizontal cloud structure. The IR hyperspectral data are shown to provide an effective 3-D description of the TC cloud environment and studies are underway to find informative predictors of intensification or decay.