Towards a new AVHRR Cloud Climatology (PATMOS-x)
Abstract
The NOAA/NESDIS Office of Research and Applications has embarked on a pilot project to develop the infrastructure to reprocess the entire AVHRR GAC data record. Part of this effort is the generation of climate data records (cdrs). This paper describes the results from the AVHRR Pathfinder Atmospheres Extended (PATMOS-x)project which is a new cloud climatology offering data from 1982 to 2005. PATMOS-x builds upon its predecessor (PATMOS) by using improved calibration, geolocation and product algorithms. In addition, PATMOS-x includes data from all 5 channel AVHRR's and includes a full suite of cloud products. This work will highlight the similarities and differences between the PATMOS-x cloud climatology and that offered by other existing cloud climatologies. In particular, we present results on the inter-annual and decadal variability of certain key cloud products. Lastly, we will discuss the consistency of these time series with those from new sensors (MODIS and VIIRS) that are replacing the AVHRR.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005AGUFM.A43D0138H
- Keywords:
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- 0320 Cloud physics and chemistry;
- 0321 Cloud/radiation interaction