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Satellite retrieval of convective cloud base temperature based on the NPP/VIIRS Imager
Author(s) -
Zhu Yannian,
Rosenfeld Daniel,
Yu Xing,
Liu Guihua,
Dai Jin,
Xu Xiaohong
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl058970
Subject(s) - satellite , environmental science , cloud base , cloud top , remote sensing , meteorology , cloud computing , visible infrared imaging radiometer suite , radiometer , planetary boundary layer , geology , computer science , physics , astronomy , operating system , turbulence
The advent of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar‐Orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite provided a quantum jump in the satellite capabilities of retrieving cloud properties, because it nearly tripled the resolution in the thermal channels (375 m). This allowed us to develop a methodology for retrieving convective cloud base temperature ( T b ) and validate it over the Atmospheric System Research Southern Great Plains site for the satellite early afternoon overpass time. The standard error of the T b retrieval was only 1.1°C. The knowledge of T b allows the calculation of cloud base height and the depth of the boundary layer, as well as the boundary layer water vapor mixing ratio with an accuracy of about 10%. The feasibility of retrieving cloud base temperature and height is an essential component that is required for retrieving cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) from satellites by using convective clouds as natural CCN chambers.