Global Cloud Detection and Distribution with Night Time using Satellite Infrared Data

Knowledge of the current climate system is necessary to clearly estimate large-scale global warming and abnormal weather in the future. Net radiation is one of the main factors that influence a climate system. The earth, which is covered by cloud of dozens of surface giving it a high albedo, reflects a large part of solar radiation. In addition, during nights, when the earth's radiation increases, the earth acts as a radiator. There is no doubt that clouds are closely related to the radiation balance. Satellite data analysis is the most useful method to understand cloud climatology. The targets are to establish an algorithm to detect clouds for night term of the earth, and to get to know more about global cloud distribution with night term. Brightness temperature difference of split window channels is used in this method. We decided three thresholds which have some slopes are used in the case of over land, open sea, and snow or ice surface including sea ice, respectively. We examined on some sensors which has difference response function in itself plat home, GLI/ADEOS2, AVHRR/NOAA, MODIS/Terra and Aqua.