Radiative Flux Analysis (RADFLUXANAL) Value-Added Product: Retrieval of Clear-Sky Broadband Radiative Fluxes and Other Derived Values
The Radiative Flux Analysis (RADFLUX) is a technique for using surface broadband radiation measurements for detecting periods of clear (i.e., cloudless) skies, and using the detected clear-sky data to fit functions that are then used to produce continuous clear-sky estimates. The clear-sky estimates and measurements are then used in various ways to infer cloud macrophysical properties. This value-added product (VAP) is based on methodologies developed by Dr. Charles N. Long as referenced in the papers below. It is an updated version of an earlier value-added data product called the Shortwave (SW) Clear-Sky Detection and Fitting Algorithm (SWCLRID). Two major improvements were made over the SWCLRID data product: 1) input data were first run through the Data Quality Assessment for Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Radiation Data (QCRAD) VAP to better screen for data quality, and 2) additional processing was implemented to also include longwave (LW) clear sky estimates and derived values.