CRTM Support to GMAO, Validation and Coefficient Generation

Abstract

Radiative transfer (RT) models play a very critical role in assimilating satellite radiances into NWP models. The RT models are used as forward operator to simulate satellite radiances from atmopspheric control variables such as pressure, temperature, water vapor, and ozone. However because line-by-line RT models are computationally very expensive, fast RT models have been developed and advanced especially in past two decades to overcome these limitations. Community Radiative Transfer Model (CRTM) developed by Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation is widely used in the U.S. as the forward operator for the assimilation of microwave and infrared satellite radiances. This abstract summarizes the GMAO activities in the support of CRTM including generating training coefficients for new instruments as well as developments for assimilating satellite radiances from shortwave infrared channels.