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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Cloud optics
  • Atmospheric Composition and Structure: General or miscellaneous
  • Global Change: Atmosphere
  • Geodesy and Gravity: Atmosphere monitoring with geodetic techniques

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 32, L15805, 5 PP., 2005
doi:10.1029/2005GL023211

Thermodynamic and cloud parameter retrieval using infrared spectral data

Daniel K. Zhou

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA

William L. Smith Sr.

Center for Atmospheric Studies, Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia, USA

Xu Liu

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA

Allen M. Larar

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, USA

Hung-Lung A. Huang

Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Jun Li

Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA

Matthew J. McGill

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland, USA

Stephen A. Mango

National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System Integrated Program Office, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

High-resolution infrared radiance spectra obtained from near nadir observations provide atmospheric, surface, and cloud property information. A fast radiative transfer model, including cloud effects, is used for atmospheric profile and cloud parameter retrieval. The retrieval algorithm is presented along with its application to recent field experiment data from the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed – Interferometer (NAST-I). The retrieval accuracy dependence on cloud properties is discussed. It is shown that relatively accurate temperature and moisture retrievals can be achieved below optically thin clouds. For optically thick clouds, accurate temperature and moisture profiles down to cloud top level are obtained. For both optically thin and thick cloud situations, the cloud top height can be retrieved with an accuracy of approximately 1.0 km. Preliminary NAST-I retrieval results from the recent Atlantic-THORPEX Regional Campaign (ATReC) are presented and compared with coincident observations obtained from dropsondes and the nadir-pointing Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL).

Received 12 April 2005; accepted 13 July 2005; published 9 August 2005.

Citation: Zhou, D. K., W. L. Smith Sr., X. Liu, A. M. Larar, H.-L. A. Huang, J. Li, M. J. McGill, and S. A. Mango (2005), Thermodynamic and cloud parameter retrieval using infrared spectral data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L15805, doi:10.1029/2005GL023211.

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