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Thermodynamic and cloud parameter retrieval using infrared spectral data
Author(s) -
Zhou Daniel K.,
Smith William L.,
Liu Xu,
Larar Allen M.,
Huang HungLung A.,
Li Jun,
McGill Matthew J.,
Mango Stephen A.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1029/2005gl023211
Subject(s) - nadir , remote sensing , radiative transfer , radiance , cloud top , environmental science , cloud computing , lidar , atmospheric radiative transfer codes , meteorology , physics , optics , computer science , geology , satellite , astronomy , operating system
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).