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At least 649 records · Page 36

First-guess dependence of a physically based set of temperature-humidity retrievals from HIRS2/MSU data

The first-guess dependence of temperature and humidity fields retrieved from HIRS2/MSU data using the GLA (Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres) physically based retrieval scheme is examined. Retrievals were performed over the ALPEX region for two successive synoptic periods, 1200 UTC March 4 and 00000 UTC March 5, 1982, using three different initial guesses for each period. Results show rather low first-guess dependence for the thickness fields and larger first-guess dependence for the precipitable water fields, especially close to the surface. The humidity retrieval algorithm used is described. The processing system has the property of maintaining the accuracy of a good guess and improving a poor one for both thickness and precipitable water at all levels.

Reuter, D.↗

Vertical, meridional, seasonal, and local time dependence of non-LTE effects in stratospheric NO and implications for infrared remote sensing

Calculations have been carried out on possible nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) effects previously suggested for stratospheric nitric oxide (NO) associated with the direct photochemical production of vibrationally excited NO by the processes NO2 + hv yields NO(v) + O and O + NO2 yields NO(v) + O2. The calculations, which make use of improved calculations of the NO vibrational state distribution from NO2 photolysis, are carried out as a function of altitude and latitude for a variety of seasons and local times. Non-LTE effects on the order of 30 percent for v = 1 are obtained, maximizing in the middle stratosphere over the equator. The results of the calculations suggest that incorporation of the non-LTE effect into the retrieval algorithm for NO from infrared thermal emission measuring instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite will need to be done carefully if correct distributions and variations of NO with altitude, latitude, season, and local time are to be obtained.

Kaye, Jack A.↗

Nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium effects in stratospheric HF by collisional energy transfer from electronically excited O2 and implications for infrared remote sensing

A possible nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) effect involving stratospheric HF arising from the direct photochemical excitation of vibrationally excited HF by collisional energy transfer from electronically excited O2 is presented. Although this non-LTE effect is smaller that one associated with the direct solar excitation of both HF(nv = 1) and HF(nv = 2), calculations show that inclusion of the mechanism into retrieval algorithms is necessary if correct daytime upper stratosphere HF profiles are to be inferred in future IR thermal emission measurements.

Kaye, Jack A.↗

Cirrus cloud properties derived from satellite and coincident lidar data taken during the FIRE IFO

Cloud-top temperatures are derived from lidar measurements taken during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment Cirrus Intensive Field Observation program in October-November, 1986. The results are used to estimate cloud emissivities from satellite-measured IR radiances. The relationship beween IR emissivity and the observed visible reflectances for various solar zenith and satellite zenith angles. The results support the model of flux emissivity vs cloud albedo which is used in the ISCCP cloud property retrieval algorithm. Also, the results show that scattering is more isotropic than previous studies have suggested.

Minnis, Patrick↗

Simulated appearance of an evolving supercell hail storm at SSM/I microwave frequencies

The contribution of distinct classes of hydrometeors generated from a cloud model to top-of-atmosphere microwave brightness temperatures is studied at the four separate frequencies of the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I). The relative radiative role of individual modes of hydrometeors during the evolution of a severe thunderstorm is examined using a microwave radiative transfer model coupled with a three-dimensional cloud model capable of simulating the essential dynamical and microphysical features of an intense hail store. Consideration is given to plans to use the simulation results with actual multichannel measurements from SSM/I to provide a framework for multispectral precipitation retrieval algorithms.

Smith, Eric A.↗

Multispectral retrieval of rainfall rates using the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I)

Collocated SSM/I and radar measurements are compared to model simulated radiances upwelling from precipitating clouds. A methodology maximizing the correlation between the radar rain rate estimates and surface rainfall amounts is presented, along with data sources and samples. Geolocation of both the satellite and radar data is assessed, and statistical rainfall-rate retrieval algorithms are analyzed. Regression analysis of collocated SSM/I brightness-temperature measurements and radar-derived rainfall rates show the potential of the SSM/I to provide 25-km resolution rain-rate estimates over land and ocean surfaces.

Olson, William S.↗

Development and design of an airborne autonomous wavemeter for laser tuning

The development and design of an instrument for making water vapor Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) measurements from a down-looking airborne platform are described. The wavemeter device for this NASA-LASE (Lidar Atmospheric Sensing Experiment) project involves a classical Fabry-Perot interferometer approach. The interoferometer design, breadboard design, data retrieval algorithms, and errors are examined, and the design of the airborne instrument is discussed, including the illumination and imaging considerations, optomechanical component arrangement, electronic configuration, and proposed calibration technique.

Goad, Joseph H., Jr.↗

Remote sounding of the tropical cirrus cloud temperature and optical depth using 6.5 and 10.5-micron radiometers during STEP

A dual-channel retrieval technique involving the water vapor band at 6.5 microns and the window region at 10.5 microns has been developed to infer the temperature and emissivity of tropical anvils. This technique has been applied to data obtained from the ER-2 narrow field-of-view radiometers during two flights in the field observation of the Stratosphere-Troposphere Exchange Project near Darwin, Australia, January-February 1987. The retrieved cloud temperatures are between 190 and 240 K, while the cloud emissivities derived from the retrieval algorithm range from about 0.2 to 1. Moreover, the visible optical depths have been obtained from the cloud emissivity through a theoretical parameterization with values of 0.5-10. A significant portion of tropical cirrus clouds are found to have optical depths greater than about 6. Because of the parameterization, the present technique is unable to precisely determine the optical depth values for optically thick cirrus clouds.

Liou, K. N.↗

Multiband radar characterization of forest biomes

The utility of airborne and orbital SAR in classification, assessment, and monitoring of forest biomes is investigated through analysis of orbital synthetic aperature radar (SAR) and multifrequency and multipolarized airborne SAR imagery relying on image tone and texture. Preliminary airborne SAR experiments and truck-mounted scatterometer observations demonstrated that the three dimensional structural complexity of a forest, and the various scales of temporal dynamics in the microwave dielectric properties of both trees and the underlying substrate would severely limit empirical or semi-empirical approaches. As a consequence, it became necessary to develop a more profound understanding of the electromagnetic properties of a forest scene and their temporal dynamics through controlled experimentation coupled with theoretical development and verification. The concatenation of various models into a physically-based composite model treating the entire forest scene became the major objective of the study as this is the key to development of a series of robust retrieval algorithms for forest biophysical properties. In order to verify the performance of the component elements of the composite model, a series of controlled laboratory and field experiments were undertaken to: (1) develop techniques to measure the microwave dielectric properties of vegetation; (2) relate the microwave dielectric properties of vegetation to more readily measured characteristics such as density and moisture content; (3) calculate the radar cross-section of leaves, and cylinders; (4) improve backscatter models for rough surfaces; and (5) relate attenuation and phase delays during propagation through canopies to canopy properties. These modeling efforts, as validated by the measurements, were incorporated within a larger model known as the Michigan Microwave Canopy Scattering (MIMICS) Model.

Dobson, M. Craig↗

Deriving Earth science products from SSM/I

There are 3 components to this project. The first is the production of a quality controlled Level-1 data product for the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I). Second is the generation of research quality ocean products. The 3rd component is studying the feasibility of obtaining both wind speed and wind direction from satellite microwave radiometers. The status of the three studies are discussed briefly. Time series of the SSM/I physical temperatures, receiver gains, and noise figures were studied in order to access the stability and integrity of the sensor data. A physically based retrieval algorithm was used to compute ocean products from the SSM/I Level-1 data. It simultaneously finds the near surface wind speed, the columnar water vapor, and the columnar liquid water. A wind direction signal was found in the SSM/I brightness temperature.

Wentz, Frank J.↗

Airborne radar and radiometer experiment for quantitative remote measurements of rain

An aircraft experiment has been conducted with a dual-frequency (10 GHz and 35 GHz) radar/radiometer system and an 18-GHz radiometer to test various rain-rate retrieval algorithms from space. In the experiment, which took place in the fall of 1988 at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, VA, both stratiform and convective storms were observed. A ground-based radar and rain gauges were also used to obtain truth data. An external radar calibration is made with rain gauge data, thereby enabling quantitative reflectivity measurements. Comparisons between path attenuations derived from the surface return and from the radar reflectivity profile are made to test the feasibility of a technique to estimate the raindrop size distribution from simultaneous radar and path-attenuation measurements.

Kozu, Toshiaki↗

Report of the International Ozone Trends Panel 1988, volume 1

Chapters on the following topics are presented: spacecraft instrument calibration and stability; information content of ozone retrieval algorithms; trends in total column ozone measurements; and trends in ozone profile measurement.

Source record↗

Monthly mean global satellite data sets available in CCM history tape format

Satellite data for climate monitoring have become increasingly important over the past decade, especially with increasing concern for inadvertent antropogenic climate change. Although most satellite based data are of short record, satellites can provide the global coverage that traditional meteorological observations network lack. In addition, satellite data are invaluable for the validation of climate models, and they are useful for many diagnostic studies. Herein, several satellite data sets were processed and transposed into 'history tape' format for use with the Community Climate Model (CCM) modular processor. Only a few of the most widely used and best documented data sets were selected at this point, although future work will expand the number of data sets examined as well as update the archived data sets. An attempt was made to include data of longer record and only monthly averaged data were processed. For studies using satellite data over an extended period, it is important to recognize the impact of changes in instrumentation, drift in instrument calibration, errors introduced by retrieval algorithms and other sources of errors such as those resulting from insufficient space and/or time sampling.

Hurrell, James W.↗

Determination of atmospheric moisture structure and infrared cooling rates from high resolution MAMS radiance data

This program has applied Multispectral Atmospheric Mapping Sensor (MAMS) high resolution data to the problem of monitoring atmospheric quantities of moisture and radiative flux at small spatial scales. MAMS, with 100-m horizontal resolution in its four infrared channels, was developed to study small scale atmospheric moisture and surface thermal variability, especially as related to the development of clouds, precipitation, and severe storms. High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) data has been used to develop a high spectral resolution retrieval algorithm for producing vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and moisture. The results of this program are summarized and a list of publications resulting from this contract is presented. Selected publications are attached as an appendix.

Menzel, W. Paul↗

Ground-based microwave monitoring of stratospheric ozone

A microwave instrument developed for operational measurements of ozone for the Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change is discussed. The instrument observes two spectral lines near 3-mm wavelength with a bandwidth of 630 MHz, allowing profile retrieval from 20 to 70 km. The observing technique and calibration procedures are described. The measurement forward model and retrieval algorithm are formulated. Preliminary comparisons with a colocated ground-based lidar and the SAGE II instrument are presented. The measurements are shown to typically agree to within 5 to 10 percent.

Parrish, A.↗

Cloud-property retrieval using merged HIRS and AVHRR data

A technique is developed that uses a multispectral, multiresolution method to improve the overall retrieval of mid- to high-level cloud properties by combining HIRS sounding channel data with higher spatial resolution AVHRR radiometric data collocated with the HIRS footprint. Cirrus cloud radiative and physical properties are determined using satellite data, surface-based measurements provided by rawinsondes and lidar, and aircraft-based lidar data collected during the First International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program Regional Experiment in Wisconsin during the months of October and November 1986. HIRS cloud-height retrievals are compared to ground-based lidar and aircraft lidar when possible. Retrieved cloud heights are found to have close agreement with lidar for thin cloud, but are higher than lidar for optically thick cloud. The results of the reflectance-emittance relationships derived are compared to theoretical scattering model results for both water-droplet spheres and randomly oriented hexagonal ice crystals. It is found that the assumption of 10-micron water droplets is inadequate to describe the reflectance-emittance relationship for the ice clouds seen here. Use of this assumption would lead to lower cloud heights using the ISCCP approach. The theoretical results show that use of hexagonal ice crystal phase functions could lead to much improved results for cloud retrieval algorithms using a bispectral approach.

Baum, Bryan A.↗

Arctic ice surface temperature retrieval from AVHRR thermal channels

The relationship between AVHRR thermal radiances and the surface (skin) temperature of Arctic snow-covered sea ice is examined through forward calculations of the radiative transfer equation, providing an ice/snow surface temperature retrieval algorithm for the central Arctic Basin. Temperature and humidity profiles with cloud observations collected on an ice island during 1986-1987 are used. Coefficients that correct for atmospheric attenuation are given for three Arctic clear sky 'seasons', as defined through statistical analysis of the daily profiles, for the NOAA 7, 9, and 11 satellites. Modeled directional snow emissivities, different in the two split-window (11 and 12 micron) channels, are used. While the sensor scan angle is included explicitly in the correction equation, its effect in the dry Arctic atmosphere is small, generally less than 0.1 K. Using the split-window channels and scan angle, the rms error in the estimated ice surface temperature is less than 0.1 K in all seasons. Inclusion channel 3(3.7 microns) during the winter decreases the rms error by less than 0.003

Key, J.↗

Satellite remote sensing of sea surface temperature

An overview is conducted of the satellite methods available for investigating sea-surface temperature (SST). Attention is given to the accuracies expected from specific satellite instruments and retrieval methods. The techniques reviewed include IR radiometry, corrections for atmospheric attenuation and cloudiness, and the combination of AVHRR and High-resolution IR Sounder channels. The analytical derivations of surface emission (microwave and IR) and radiative transfer are demonstrated, and the theoretically derived SST retrieval algorithms are discussed for both microwave and IR sensors. The accuracies of satellite and in situ SST products are compared with attention given to the use of composite SST products. The AVHRR data are found to be self-consistent and provide the lowest rms errors and bias variations, and the occurrence of satellite anomalies are considered acceptable in the light of in situ data which does not adequately represent the SST field.

Njoku, Eni G.↗