An algorithm for deriving absorbed solar radiation at the surface from GOES-R

An algorithm for estimating the Absorbed Shortwave Radiation at the surface (ASR) from the measurements of the Advanced Baseline Imager onboard the future GOES-R satellite has been developed. The algorithm estimates ASR using Look-Up-Tables (LUT) generated with the NASA Langley-modified Fu-Liou code. The LUT applied is the same as that in the baseline ABI Shortwave Radiation Budget Algorithm (ABISRB) and composed of reflectance, total transmittance, and their spherical counterparts. These parameters are determined from atmospheric inputs of aerosol and cloud information, total precipitable water, and ozone amount, and used in the ASR retrievals. An alternative algorithm that is based on a statistical relationship between broadband TOA albedo and ASR, simulated with the modified Fu-Liou code, has also been developed. ASR retrievals from these two algorithms are compared with ground data available in the CERES/Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Validation Experiment (CAVE) data and Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). Similar products from the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) data, and ASR estimation from the baseline algorithm are also compared with ground data to evaluate algorithm performance.