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Improved Satellite Estimation of Near‐Surface Humidity Using Vertical Water Vapor Profile Information
Author(s) -
Tomita H.,
Hihara T.,
Kubota M.
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1002/2017gl076384
Subject(s) - satellite , environmental science , humidity , latent heat , remote sensing , radiometer , water vapor , microwave radiometer , meteorology , flux (metallurgy) , sea surface temperature , evaporation , brightness temperature , radiometry , microwave , atmospheric sciences , geology , geography , materials science , computer science , telecommunications , aerospace engineering , engineering , metallurgy
Near‐surface air‐specific humidity is a key variable in the estimation of air‐sea latent heat flux and evaporation from the ocean surface. An accurate estimation over the global ocean is required for studies on global climate, air‐sea interactions, and water cycles. Current remote sensing techniques are problematic and a major source of errors for flux and evaporation. Here we propose a new method to estimate surface humidity using satellite microwave radiometer instruments, based on a new finding about the relationship between multichannel brightness temperatures measured by satellite sensors, surface humidity, and vertical moisture structure. Satellite estimations using the new method were compared with in situ observations to evaluate this method, confirming that it could significantly improve satellite estimations with high impact on satellite estimation of latent heat flux. We recommend the adoption of this method for any satellite microwave radiometer observations.