Multi-Spectral Cloud Property Retrieval

Abstract

Despite numerous studies to retrieve cloud properties using infrared measurements the information content of the data has not yet been fully exploited. In an effort to more fully utilize the information content of infrared measurements, we have developed a multi-spectral technique for retrieving effective cloud particle size, optical depth and effective cloud temperature. While applicable to all cloud types, we begin by validating our retrieval technique through analysis of MS spectral radiances obtained during the SUCCESS field campaign over the ARM SGP CART facility, and compare our retrieval product with lidar and MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) measurement results. The technique is then applied to the Nimbus-4 MS infrared spectral measurements to obtain global cloud information.