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Global distribution of cloud droplet effective radius from POLDER polarization measurements
Author(s) -
Bréon FrançoisMarie,
Colzy Stéphane
Publication year - 2000
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 - 10.1029/2000gl011691
Subject(s) - aerosol , effective radius , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , biomass burning , radius , meteorology , geology , geography , physics , astrophysics , computer security , galaxy , computer science
Polarization measurements from the spaceborne POLDER instrument are used to estimate the droplet effective radius of liquid‐phase clouds. Eight months of measurements have been processed. Seasonal averages have been generated and are discussed here. The measurements confirm that, on average, droplets are 2 to 3 µm smaller over land than over the oceans. The smaller droplets are found over highly polluted regions and in areas affected by smoke from biomass burning activity. The influence of land masses is apparent downwind of the continents. Largest droplets are found in remote tropical oceans, away from major aerosol sources. A large zonal gradient is also apparent in the southern oceans, with very small droplets close to the Antarctic continent.