Retrieval of Cirrus Cloud Properties from AIRS Data Using SARTA with Delta-Four Stream Approximation Steve S. C. Ou1, Brian Kahn2, K. N. Liou1, Y. Takano1, and Q. Yue2 1Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California
Abstract
Cirrus clouds are important regulators of the global radiation budget and climate. Based on satellite and ground-based observations, cirrus clouds cover 20-30% of the Earth and up to 70% of the tropics at any given time For mapping cirrus cloud fields, satellite remote sensing methods for optical and microphysical properties of cirrus clouds have been developed and applied to operation using spectro-radiometric imaging instruments (MODIS). For AIRS, a thermal infrared hyper-spectral sounding instrument, we have constructed a multi-spectral cirrus cloud retrieval program, which combines a fast clear-radiance radiative transfer program (SARTA) and the delta-four stream (D4S) approximation method. We have incorporated the most updated high-resolution ice crystal microphysics and thermal IR optical properties developed by the MODIS algorithm group. In this paper, we will present simulated clear and cirrus cloudy thermal IR spectra, which are compared with observed spectra. We will also present cirrus cloud retrieval results which are collocated with CALIPSO/CloudSat overpasses for comparison purposes.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFM.A13F0293O
- Keywords:
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- 0319 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Cloud optics;
- 0321 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Cloud/radiation interaction;
- 0360 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE / Radiation: transmission and scattering