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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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NASA NTRS2001

Remote Sensing of Cloud, Aerosol, and Water Vapor Properties from MODIS

MODIS is an earth-viewing cross-track scanning spectroradiometer launched on the Terra satellite in December 1999. MODIS scans a swath width sufficient to provide nearly complete global coverage every two days from a polar orbiting, sun-synchronous, platform at an altitude of 705 kilometers, and provides images in 36 spectral bands between 0.415 and 14.235 micrometers with spatial resolutions of 250 meters (2 bands), 500 meters (5 bands) and 1000 meters (29 bands). These bands have been carefully selected to enable advanced studies of land, ocean, and atmospheric processes. In this presentation we review the comprehensive set of remote sensing algorithms that have been developed for the remote sensing of atmospheric properties using MODIS data, placing primary emphasis on the principal atmospheric applications of (i) developing a cloud mask for distinguishing clear sky from clouds, (ii) retrieving global cloud radiative and microphysical properties, including cloud top pressure and temperature, effective emissivity, cloud optical thickness, thermodynamic phase, and effective radius, (iii) monitoring tropospheric aerosol optical thickness over the land and ocean and aerosol size distribution over the ocean, (iv) determining atmospheric profiles of moisture and temperature, and (v) estimating column water amount. The physical principles behind the determination of each of these atmospheric products will be described, together with an example of their application using MODIS observations. All products are archived into two categories: pixel-level retrievals (referred to as Level-2 products) and global gridded products at a latitude and longitude resolution of 1 degree (Level-3 products). An overview of the MODIS atmosphere algorithms and products, status, validation activities, and early level-2 and -3 results will be presented.

King, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Remote Sensing of Cloud, Aerosol, and Water Vapor Properties from MODIS

MODIS is an earth-viewing cross-track scanning spectroradiometer launched on the Terra satellite in December 1999. MODIS scans a swath width sufficient to provide nearly complete global coverage every two days from a polar-orbiting, sun-synchronous, platform at an altitude of 705 km, and provides images in 36 spectral bands from 0.415 to 14.235 microns with spatial resolutions of 250 m (2 bands), 500 m (5 bands) and 1000 m (29 bands). These bands have been carefully selected to enable advanced studies of land, ocean, and atmospheric processes. In this presentation I will review the comprehensive set of remote sensing algorithms that have been developed for the remote sensing of atmospheric properties using MODIS data, placing primary emphasis on the principal atmospheric applications of: (1) developing a cloud mask for distinguishing clear sky from clouds, (2) retrieving global cloud radiative and microphysical properties, including cloud top pressure and temperature, effective emissivity, cloud optical thickness, thermodynamic phase, and effective radius, (3) monitoring tropospheric aerosol optical thickness over the land and ocean and aerosol size distribution over the ocean, (4) determining atmospheric profiles of moisture and temperature, and (5) estimating column water amount. The physical principles behind the determination of each of these atmospheric products will be described, together with an example of their application using MODIS observations. All products are archived into two categories: pixel-level retrievals (referred to as Level-2 products) and global gridded products at a latitude and longitude resolution of 1 deg (Level-3 products). An overview of the MODIS atmosphere algorithms and products, status, validation activities, and early level-2 and -3 results will be presented. Finally, I will present some highlights from the land and ocean algorithms developed for processing global MODIS observations, including: (1) surface reflectance, (2) vegetation indices, leaf area index, and FPAR, (3) albedo and nadir BRDF-adjusted reflectance, (4) normalized water-leaving radiance, (5) chlorophyll-a concentration, and (6) sea surface temperature.

King, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRS2001

Remote Sensing of Cloud, Aerosol, and Land Properties from MODIS: Applications to the East Asia Region

MODIS is an earth-viewing cross-track scanning spectroradiometer launched on the Terra satellite in December 1999. MODIS scans a swath width sufficient to provide nearly complete global coverage every two days from a polar-orbiting, sun-synchronous platform at an altitude of 705 km, and provides images in 36 spectral bands between 0.415 and 14.235 microns with spatial resolutions of 250 m (two bands), 500 m (five bands) and 1000 m (29 bands). These bands have been carefully selected to enable advanced studies of land, ocean, and atmospheric processes. In this presentation we review the comprehensive set of remote sensing algorithms that have been developed for the remote sensing of atmospheric properties using MODIS data, placing primary emphasis on the principal atmospheric applications of (i) developing a cloud mask for distinguishing clear sky from clouds, (ii) retrieving global cloud radiative and microphysical properties, including cloud top pressure and temperature, effective emissivity, cloud optical thickness, thermodynamic phase, and effective radius, (iii) monitoring tropospheric aerosol optical thickness over the land and ocean and aerosol size distribution over the ocean, (iv) determining atmospheric profiles of moisture and temperature, and (v) estimating column water amount. The physical principles behind the determination of each of these atmospheric products will be described, together with an example of their application using MODIS observations to the east Asian region in Spring 2001. All products are archived into two categories: pixel-level retrievals (referred to as Level-2 products) and global gridded products at a latitude and longitude resolution of 1 degree (Level-3 products). An overview of the MODIS atmosphere algorithms and products, status, validation activities, and early level-2 and -3 results will be presented.

King, Michael D.↗
NASA NTRS1988

ER-2 lidar observations from the October 1986 fire cirrus experiment

A description of the ER-2 lidar data characteristics and available products, plus flight times and locations is presented for the FIRE cirrus experiment of October 13 through November 2, 1986. The CALS airborne lidar was flown for this experiment on the NASA ER-2 high altitude aircraft. The primary objectives of the CALS observations were to intensively measure cirrus cloud top height and structure for basic cirrus studies and for validation of satellite cloud retrievals.

Spinhirne, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Seasonal and interannual changes in cirrus

Statistics on cirrus clouds using the multispectral data from the GOES/VAS satellite have been collected since 1985. The method used to diagnose cirrus clouds and a summary of the first two years of data was given in Wylie and Menzel (1989) and at the 1988 FIRE meeting in Vail, CO. This study was expanded to three years of data which allows a more detailed discussion of the geographical and seasonal changes in cloud cover. Interannual changes in cloud cover also were studied. GOES/VAS cloud retrievals also were compared to atmospheric dynamic parameters and to radiative attenuation data taken by a lidar. Some of the highlights of these studies are discussed.

Wylie, Donald P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Comparison of NOAA-9 ERBE measurements with Cirrus IFO satellite and aircraft measurements

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) measurements onboard the NOAA-9 are compared for consistency with satellite and aircraft measurements made during the Cirrus Intensive Field Observation (IFO) of October 1986. ERBE scene identification is compared with NOAA-9 TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) cloud retrievals; results from the ERBE spectral inversion algorithms are compared with High resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) measurements; and ERBE radiant existance measurements are compared with aircraft radiative flux measurements.

Ackerman, Steven A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Subvisual-thin cirrus lidar dataset for satellite verification and climatological research

A polarization (0.694 microns wavelength) lidar dataset for subvisual and thin (bluish-colored) cirrus clouds is drawn from project FIRE (First ISCCP Regional Experiment) extended time observations. The clouds are characterized by their day-night visual appearance; base, top, and optical midcloud heights and temperatures; measured physical and estimated optical cloud thicknesses; integrated linear depolarization ratios; and derived k/2 eta ratios. A subset of the data supporting 30 NOAA polar-orbiting satellite overpasses is given in tabular form to provide investigators with the means to test cloud retrieval algorithms and establish the limits of cirrus detectability from satellite measurements under various conditions. Climatologically, subvisual-thin cirrus appear to be higher, colder, and more strongly depolarizing than previously reported multilatitude cirrus, although similar k/2 eta that decrease with height and temperature are found.

Sassen, Kenneth↗
NASA NTRS2001

Application and Design of Satellite Infrared Spectral Imaging Radiometers with Uncooled Microbolometer Array Detectors

Uncooled infrared microbolometer array detectors have application for space borne spectral imaging radiometer of several types to lower size, power and cost and provide improved performance. Other advantages of eliminating cooling requirement are simplified systems, simplified satellite integration and improved reliability. A prototype microbolometer instrument for cloud observations was flown on the STS-85 space shuttle mission. Extensive data were acquired at_km resolution at four thermal infrared wavelength bands. From the 320x280 detector array both spectral and angular information can be used to advantage in cloud retrievals and has been demonstrated. An engineering model Compact Visible and Infrared Imaging Radiometer (COVIR) for small satellite missions has been developed. Application of advanced microbolometer array detectors for three axis stabilized GOES thermal imagers has been studied.

Spinhirne, James↗
NASA NTRS2002

Participation in the TOMS Science Team

Because of the nominal funding provided by this grant, some of the relevant research is partially funded by other sources. Research performed for this funding period included the following items: We have investigated errors in TOMS ozone measurements caused by the uncertainty in wavelength calibration, coupled with the ozone cross sections in the Huggins bands and their temperature dependence. Preliminary results show that 0.1 nm uncertainty in TOMS wavelength calibration at the ozone active wavelengths corresponds to approx. 1% systematic error in O3, and thus potential 1% biases among ozone trends from the various TOMS instruments. This conclusion will be revised for absolute O3 Measurements as cross sections are further investigated for inclusion in the HITRAN database at the SAO, but the potential for relative errors remains. In order to aid further comparisons among TOMS and GOME ozone measurements, we have implemented our method of direct fitting of GOME radiances (BOAS) for O3, and now obtain the best fitting precision to date for GOME O3 Columns. This will aid in future comparisons of the actual quantities measured and fitted for the two instrument types. We have made comparisons between GOME ICFA cloud fraction and cloud fraction determined from GOME data using the Ring effect in the Ca II lines. There is a strong correlation, as expected, but there are substantial systematic biases between the determinations. This study will be refined in the near future using the recently-developed GOME Cloud Retrieval Algorithm (GOMECAT). We have improved the SAO Ring effect determination to include better convolution with instrument transfer functions and inclusion of interferences by atmospheric absorbers (e.g., O3). This has been made available to the general community.

Chance, Kelly↗
NASA NTRS2003

Overview of Mount Washington Icing Sensors Project

NASA, the FAA, the Department of Defense, the National Center for Atmospheric Research and NOAA are developing techniques for retrieving cloud microphysical properties from a variety of remote sensing technologies. The intent is to predict aircraft icing conditions ahead of aircraft. The Mount Washington Icing Sensors Project MWISP), conducted in April, 1999 at Mt. Washington, NH, was organized to evaluate technologies for the prediction of icing conditions ahead of aircraft in a natural environment, and to characterize icing cloud and drizzle environments. April was selected for operations because the Summit is typically in cloud, generally has frequent freezing precipitation in spring, and the clouds have high liquid water contents. Remote sensing equipment, consisting of radars, radiometers and a lidar, was placed at the base of the mountain, and probes measuring cloud particles, and a radiometer, were operated from the Summit. NASA s Twin Otter research aircraft also conducted six missions over the site. Operations spanned the entire month of April, which was dominated by wrap-around moisture from a low pressure center stalled off the coast of Labrador providing persistent upslope clouds with relatively high liquid water contents and mixed phase conditions. Preliminary assessments indicate excellent results from the lidar, radar polarimetry, radiosondes and summit and aircraft measurements.

Ryerson, Charles C.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Seasonal Surface Spectral Emissivity Derived from Terra MODIS Data

The CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System) Project is measuring broadband shortwave and longwave radiances and deriving cloud properties form various images to produce a combined global radiation and cloud property data set. In this paper, simultaneous data from Terra MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) taken at 3.7, 8.5, 11.0, and 12.0 m are used to derive the skin temperature and the surface emissivities at the same wavelengths. The methodology uses separate measurements of clear sky temperature in each channel determined by scene classification during the daytime and at night. The relationships between the various channels at night are used during the day when solar reflectance affects the 3.7- m radiances. A set of simultaneous equations is then solved to derive the emissivities. Global monthly emissivity maps are derived from Terra MODIS data while numerical weather analyses provide soundings for correcting the observed radiances for atmospheric absorption. These maps are used by CERES and other cloud retrieval algorithms.

Sun-Mack, Sunny↗
NASA NTRS2008

Mapping Snow Grain Size over Greenland from MODIS

This paper presents a new automatic algorithm to derive optical snow grain size (SGS) at 1 km resolution using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) measurements. Differently from previous approaches, snow grains are not assumed to be spherical but a fractal approach is used to account for their irregular shape. The retrieval is conceptually based on an analytical asymptotic radiative transfer model which predicts spectral bidirectional snow reflectance as a function of the grain size and ice absorption. The analytical form of solution leads to an explicit and fast retrieval algorithm. The time series analysis of derived SGS shows a good sensitivity to snow metamorphism, including melting and snow precipitation events. Preprocessing is performed by a Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm, which includes gridding MODIS data to 1 km resolution, water vapor retrieval, cloud masking and an atmospheric correction. MAIAC cloud mask (CM) is a new algorithm based on a time series of gridded MODIS measurements and an image-based rather than pixel-based processing. Extensive processing of MODIS TERRA data over Greenland shows a robust performance of CM algorithm in discrimination of clouds over bright snow and ice. As part of the validation analysis, SGS derived from MODIS over selected sites in 2004 was compared to the microwave brightness temperature measurements of SSM\I radiometer, which is sensitive to the amount of liquid water in the snowpack. The comparison showed a good qualitative agreement, with both datasets detecting two main periods of snowmelt. Additionally, MODIS SGS was compared with predictions of the snow model CROCUS driven by measurements of the automatic whether stations of the Greenland Climate Network. We found that CROCUS grain size is on average a factor of two larger than MODIS-derived SGS. Overall, the agreement between CROCUS and MODIS results was satisfactory, in particular before and during the first melting period in mid-June. Following detailed time series analysis of SGS for four permanent sites, the paper presents SGS maps over the Greenland ice sheet for the March-September period of 2004.

Lyapustin, Alexei↗
NASA NTRS2011

A New SBUV Ozone Profile Time Series

Under NASA's MEaSUREs program for creating long term multi-instrument data sets, our group at Goddard has re-processed ozone profile data from a series of SBUV instruments. We have processed data from the Nimbus 7 SBUV instrument (1979-1990) and data from SBUV/2 instruments on NOAA-9 (1985-1998), NOAA-11 (1989-1995), NOAA-16 (2001-2010), NOAA-17 (2002-2010), and NOAA-18 (2005-2010). This reprocessing uses the version 8 ozone profile algorithm but now uses the Brion, Daumont, and Malicet (BMD) ozone cross sections instead of the Bass and Paur cross sections. The new cross sections have much better resolution, and extended wavelength range, and a more consistent temperature dependence. The re-processing also uses an improved cloud height climatology based on the Raman cloud retrievals of OMI. Finally, the instrument-to-instrument calibration is set using matched scenes so that ozone diurnal variation in the upper stratosphere does not alias into the ozone trands. Where there is no instrument overlap, SAGE and MLS are used to estimate calibration offsets. Preliminary analysis shows a more coherent time series as a function of altitude. The net effect on profile total column ozone is on average an absolute reduction of about one percent. Comparisons with ground-based systems are significantly better at high latitudes.

McPeters, Richard↗
NASA NTRS2011

Validating the AIRS Version 5 CO Retrieval with DACOM In Situ Measurements During INTEX-A and -B

Herein we provide a description of the atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) version 5 (v5) carbon monoxide (CO) retrieval algorithm and its validation with the DACOM in situ measurements during the INTEX-A and -B campaigns. All standard and support products in the AIRS v5 CO retrieval algorithm are documented. Building on prior publications, we describe the convolution of in situ measurements with the AIRS v5 CO averaging kernel and first-guess CO profile as required for proper validation. Validation is accomplished through comparison of AIRS CO retrievals with convolved in situ CO profiles acquired during the NASA Intercontinental Chemical Transport Experiments (INTEX) in 2004 and 2006. From 143 profiles in the northern mid-latitudes during these two experiments, we find AIRS v5 CO retrievals are biased high by 6% 10% between 900 and 300 hPa with a root-mean-square error of 8% 12%. No significant differences were found between validation using spiral profiles coincident with AIRS overpasses and in-transit profiles under the satellite track but up to 13 h off in time. Similarly, no significant differences in validation results were found for ocean versus land, day versus night, or with respect to retrieved cloud top pressure or cloud fraction.

McMillan, Wallace W.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Comparison of PARASOL Observations with Polarized Reflectances Simulated Using Different Ice Habit Mixtures

Insufficient knowledge of the habit distribution and the degree of surface roughness of ice crystals within ice clouds is a source of uncertainty in the forward light scattering and radiative transfer simulations required in downstream applications involving these clouds. The widely used MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Collection 5 ice microphysical model assumes a mixture of various ice crystal shapes with smooth-facets except aggregates of columns for which a moderately rough condition is assumed. When compared with PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar) polarized reflection data, simulations of polarized reflectance using smooth particles show a poor fit to the measurements, whereas very rough-faceted particles provide an improved fit to the polarized reflectance. In this study a new microphysical model based on a mixture of 9 different ice crystal habits with severely roughened facets is developed. Simulated polarized reflectance using the new ice habit distribution is calculated using a vector adding-doubling radiative transfer model, and the simulations closely agree with the polarized reflectance observed by PARASOL. The new general habit mixture is also tested using a spherical albedo differences analysis, and surface roughening is found to improve the consistency of multi-angular observations. It is suggested that an ice model incorporating an ensemble of different habits with severely roughened surfaces would potentially be an adequate choice for global ice cloud retrievals.

Cole, Benjamin H.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Determining Aerosol Plume Height from Two GEO Imagers: Lessons from MISR and GOES

Aerosol plume height is a key parameter to determine impacts of particulate matters generated from biomass burning, wind-blowing dust, and volcano eruption. Retrieving cloud top height from stereo imageries from two GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites) have been demonstrated since 1970's and the principle should work for aerosol plumes if they are optically thick. The stereo technique has also been used by MISR (Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer) since 2000 that has nine look angles along track to provide aerosol height measurements. Knowing the height of volcano aerosol layers is as important as tracking the ash plume flow for aviation safety. Lack of knowledge about ash plume height during the 2010 Eyja'rjallajokull eruption resulted in the largest air-traffic shutdown in Europe since World War II. We will discuss potential applications of Asian GEO satellites to make stereo measurements for dust and volcano plumes.

Wu, Dong L.↗
NASA NTRS2013

SRT Status and Plans for Version-7

Status of Version-6 at GSFC-GSFC version-6 must match JPL version-6 before we can improve it. Short-range plans evolutionary improvements. Mid-Range plans- New thrusts, Higher spatial resolution retrievals cloud spectral emissivity. Long-range plans- more challenging ideas

Version-6↗
NASA NTRS2015

Potential New Lidar Observations for Cloud Studies

The response of clouds to global warming represents a major uncertainty in estimating climate sensitivity. These uncertainties have been tracked to shallow marine clouds in the tropics and subtropics. CALIOP observations have already been used extensively to evaluate model predictions of shallow cloud fraction and top height (Leahy et al. 2013; Nam et al 2012). Tools are needed to probe the lowest levels of the troposphere. The large footprint of satellite lidars gives large multiple scattering from clouds which presents new possibilities for cloud retrievals to constrain model predictions.

Winker, Dave↗