CLARREO-type LW Nadir-View Spectral Radiance Simulator for Assessing Information Content to Detect and Attribute Global Climate Change and for Performing Climate GCM Validation
Abstract
High-spectral resolution TOA LW radiances contain embedded information of the atmospheric temperature and water vapor profiles, the greenhouse gases, the surface temperature, surface emissivity, as well as cloud height, cloud optical depth, phase, and particle size. The embedded information is in the form of spectral signatures that are unique to each contributing constituent. Deconvolution of the LW TOA spectral radiances to retrieve this embedded information is difficult, but not impossible. On the other hand, forward calculations are straightforward, so that LW TOA spectral radiances can be readily simulated using line-by- line calculations for any (plane parallel) atmospheric configuration. We use the GISS ModelE GCM to generate realistic profiles of atmospheric structure, which can then be analyzed for information content and spectral signature identification in the synthesized spectra. Since the simulated LW TOA spectral radiances contain embedded structural information of the input data to the LW Spectral Radiance Simulator, as well as information about the radiative fluxes and cooling rate profiles, this makes the LW TOA spectral radiances an excellent means for conducting a comprehensive end-to-end validation of the GCM radiation model in the full and self-consistent context of the atmospheric structural information. Thus, the LW TOA Spectral Radiance Simulator makes it possible to analyze and identify the spectral signatures of simulated global climate change, and also provides an effective tool for GCM validation.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2008
- Bibcode:
- 2008AGUFMGC23A0741O
- Keywords:
-
- 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345;
- 4801;
- 4906);
- 0321 Cloud/radiation interaction;
- 0360 Radiation: transmission and scattering;
- 1610 Atmosphere (0315;
- 0325);
- 1640 Remote sensing (1855)