Cloud and Surface Properties as Observed by ICESat-2: a comparison with CALIPSO

In addition to surface altimetry measurements, the ICESat-2 mission also provides observations of the atmospheric column. Not only are the ICESat-2 atmospheric products important in understanding the context of the surface altimetry, they are also an exciting resource for atmospheric studies. In this presentation, we will compare the ICESat-2 global cloud properties and surface reflectivity with those from CALIPSO. We will show that the general patterns of the two measurements match each other well. During nighttime the ICESat-2 atmospheric data quality is on par with that of CALIPSO, while during daytime, ICESAT-2 is more impacted by the solar background. Compared to the 82 degree poleward data coverage of CALIPSO, ICESat-2 provides coverage up to 88 degree south and north. This makes ICESat-2 atmospheric data products a much needed dataset for studying polar atmospheric events.