Information Content Analysis of Ice Cloud Retrievals using Joint Thermal Infrared(IR)and Microwave(MW)Observations
Abstract
With a large globally coverage, ice clouds significantly impact energy budget and climate by its unique radiative properties. However, current ice water path (IWP) retrieval from satellite-based instruments still have big uncertainties. One reason for these uncertainties is the individual instruments' sensitivity limitations.
Thus, a novel and robust passive IR and MW (e.g. 165 GHz and 183 GHz) cloud retrieval algorithm is being developed to retrieve cloud IWP and cloud-top height (CTH), so that it can overcome sensitivity limitations in IR or MW technique. For example, as for the combined observations (IR+MW), the expected overall IWP uncertainties can be less than 30% when cloud optical thickness (COT) between 0.5 and 50, benefiting from great performance of IR observation for optically thin clouds (COT < 5) and MW for optically thick clouds (COT > 10). In this study, we intend to conduct an information content analysis of the joint IR and MW retrievals for both IWP and CTH. We will investigate model sensitivities and errors on different cloud properties by using a MW radiative transfer model (ARTS) and an IR radiative transfer model.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.A11H2713S
- Keywords:
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- 0305 Aerosols and particles;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0319 Cloud optics;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0360 Radiation: transmission and scattering;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 4275 Remote sensing and electromagnetic processes;
- OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL