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At least 19 records

SatCORPS Hybridized Cloud Product Data Storage: The Design of a Hybrid Data Repository That Leverages the Strengths of the Cloud and the Data Center

There is a strong demand for the near real time NASA Langley Satellite ClOud and Radiation Property retrieval System (SatCORPS) products. As important as real-time information, archived copies of the products form the basis for targeted research focusing on specific events or conditions. To make these SatCORPS products available for downloading, the SatCORPS group has developed a number of tools and technologies to create a hybrid data storage system that leverages the strengths of both cloud and on-premises resources. In this work, we describe the technologies the group uses to marshal disparate data repositories and materialize them into a single searchable overview and give a broad description of the organization of the dataset. As with any implementation, the strengths, weaknesses and constraints surrounding the components establish priorities and provide insight where trade-offs are necessary. We further describe the design and architecture underpinning our hybrid data repository and delivery system.

AWS↗

Validation of the Cloud_CCI (Cloud Climate Change Initiative) cloud products in the Arctic

The role of clouds in the Arctic radiation budget is not well understood. Ground-based and airborne measurements provide valuable data to test and improve our understanding. However, the ground-based measurements are intrinsically sparse, and the airborne observations are snapshots in time and space. Passive remote sensing measurements from satellite sensors offer high spatial coverage and an evolving time series, having lengths potentially of decades. However, detecting clouds by passive satellite remote sensing sensors is challenging over the Arctic because of the brightness of snow and ice in the ultraviolet and visible spectral regions and because of the small brightness temperature contrast to the surface. Consequently, the quality of the resulting cloud data products needs to be assessed quantitatively. In this study, we validate the cloud data products retrieved from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) post meridiem (PM) data from the polar-orbiting NOAA-19 satellite and compare them with those derived from the ground-based instruments during the sunlit months. The AVHRR cloud data products by the European Space Agency (ESA) Cloud Climate Change Initiative (Cloud_CCI) project uses the observations in the visible and IR bands to determine cloud properties. The ground-based measurements from four high-latitude sites have been selected for this investigation: Hyytiälä (61.84°N, 24.29°E), North Slope of Alaska (NSA; 71.32°N, 156.61°W), Ny-Ålesund (Ny-Å; 78.92°N, 11.93°E), and Summit (72.59°N, 38.42°W). The liquid water path (LWP) ground-based data are retrieved from microwave radiometers, while the cloud top height (CTH) has been determined from the integrated lidar–radar measurements. The quality of the satellite products, cloud mask and cloud optical depth (COD), has been assessed using data from NSA, whereas LWP and CTH have been investigated over Hyytiälä, NSA, Ny-Å, and Summit.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Data Products on Cloud

This presentation lays out the data processing products that exist and are planned for the Matsu cloud for Earth Observing 1. The presentation focuses on a new feature called co-registration of Earth Observing 1 with Landsat Global Land Survey chips.

0000↗

ARM Data as A Resource for Validation of NASA PACE Cloud Retrievals

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission will launch in January 2024 and continue and improve upon satellite data records in its eponymous domains. PACE will carry a broad-swath hyperspectral imager, OCI, which will provide MODIS/VIIRS-type cloud data products (i.e. a cloud mask, top height, visible optical thickness, droplet effective radius, phase, and derived water path). It will also carry two multi-angle polarimeters (HARP2 and SPEXone) which will not only provide the above but also enable retrievals of additional cloud properties (e.g. droplet effective variance, ice crystal asymmetry parameter). Validating satellite-based cloud retrievals is challenging. We plan to use several ARM data streams to evaluate PACE cloud data products and are prototyping our analyses using retrievals from MODIS on the Aqua satellite and OLCI on the Sentinel-3A satellite. This poster shows how we plan to use ARM data to evaluate liquid water path (via MWRRET) and cloud top height retrievals (via KARZASRCL), with example results from these proxy sensors and ARM data from the SGP, ENA, and NSA sites. We seek comments from and collaborations with the ARM community to get the most out of our respective data streams.

ARM↗

Cloud Aerosol LIDAR Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) - Data Management - Data Products Catalog V4.94

The CALIPSO V2.00 Lidar Level 2 Polar Stratospheric Cloud data product is an updated version of an already order-able dat set. The changes were signed off by the CALIPSO Configuration Control Board, versioned, and the code uploaded to a code repository. There is no ITAR/SBU data or code associated with this product. Data will be publicly order-able at the NASA LaRC Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC). All documentation and web sites will be made public once the data product is released. The data is in HDF4 format and will be generated for majority of the mission (June 2006 - March 2021). The attached Data Products Catalog (v4.94) describes this new product in section 2.14, pp 115- 119.

Mark Vaughan↗

NWB Sensors Infrared Cloud Imager Data Products from SGP

NWB Sensors is a company which has developed a commercially available Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI). For more information, consult the company's webpage, https://www.nwbsensors.com/infrared-cloud-imager. To validate the radiometric accuracy of the ICI, NWB Sensors deployed it to the ARM SGP User Facility in 2023. The primary motivation of this deployment was to perform an intercomparison between the ICI and the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI). The AERI spectral radiance data product can be integrated across the response function of the ICI and directly compared to the zenith radiance observed by the ICI. In addition, the ICI uses proprietary models of the downwelling clear-sky radiance in its cloud processing algorithms. They are based on surface meteorology and precipitable water vapor (PWV). These models were validated by comparing their predicted radiances to those derived from radiative transfer models of the ARM radiosondes. Finally, PWV observations derived from the ICI's onboard GNSS-based PWV retrieval system were compared against those from the microwave radiometer. This dataset contains the ICI radiance and cloud data products.

Atmosphere↗

RSP Data Status, Updates and Plans from the Team

•All radiance (L1C), aerosol and cloud (L2) products are in the archive. •Revised calibration performed at GSFC in July 2021 applied to reprocessing. •Clouds have smaller drops and higher optical depths (larger droplet number concentrations) in winter than in summer. Cloud top droplet size distributions tend to be narrow with roughly 80% having an effective variance of less than 0.07. This is relevant to how well bulk auto-conversion parameterizations are likely to work at cloud top (order of magnitude effects) and also to assumptions used in the remote sensing of droplet number (~ 10% effect). Real refractive index and effective radius retrievals are consistent with hygroscopic growth of aerosols Real refractive index and effective variance retrievals imply the presence of an insoluble fraction of aerosols Future work on clouds will look at differences in cloud top drizzle formation and auto-conversion rates between the different campaigns and at how well mixed phase clouds can be detected (if at all) from sensors such as VIIRS and PACE OCI.

Research Scanning Polarimeter↗

Advancing NASA SatCORPS Global Data Products with Cloud Computing and Machine Learning

Operational satellite imager radiances are valuable for deriving many different physical parameters that can be used for a variety of weather, aviation, and energy applications. The NASA Satellite ClOud and Radiation Property retrieval System (SatCORPS) applies a suite of algorithms to meteorological satellite data to provide cloud properties, radiative fluxes and other parameters on a global scale. The use of cloud computing has enabled recent enhancements to process a constellation of geostationary satellites at higher spatiotemporal resolutions than previously possible that meet low latency and near real-time needs. Data taken from Meteosat-8 and -11, Himawari, GOES-16, and -17 are processed and combined with operational polar orbiting satellite data and composited on a 3-km grid to provide global coverage. To improve the utility of the data products, machine learning and other innovative methods are applied in various ways to help minimize data product uncertainties under the most challenging conditions and to improve their consistency at all times of day. An update on recent SatCORPS enhancements is presented, highlighting the community benefits achieved with the use of cloud computing and machine learning.

William L Smith↗

Validation of the Sentinel-5 Precursor TROPOMI cloud data with Cloudnet, Aura OMI O 2 –O 2 , MODIS, and Suomi-NPP VIIRS

Accurate knowledge of cloud properties is essential to the measurement of atmospheric composition from space. In this work we assess the quality of the cloud data from three Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P) TROPOMI cloud products: (i) S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CAL (Optical Cloud Recognition Algorithm/Retrieval of Cloud Information using Neural Networks;Clouds-As-Layers), (ii) S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CRB (Clouds-as-Reflecting Boundaries), and (iii) S5P FRESCO-S (Fast Retrieval Scheme for Clouds from Oxygen absorption bands – Sentinel). Target properties of this work are cloud-top height and cloud optical thickness (OCRA/ROCINN_CAL), cloud height (OCRA/ROCINN_CRB and FRESCO-S), and radiometric cloud fraction (all three algorithms). The analysis combines (i) the examination of cloud maps for artificial geographical patterns, (ii) the comparison to other satellite cloud data (MODIS, NPP-VIIRS, and OMI O2–O2), and (iii) ground-based validation with respect to correlative observations (30 April 2018 to 27 February 2020) from the Cloudnet network of ceilometers, lidars, and radars. Zonal mean latitudinal variation of S5P cloud properties is similar to that of other satellite data. S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CAL agrees well with NPP VIIRS cloud-top height and cloud optical thickness and with Cloudnet cloud-top height, especially for the low (mostly liquid) clouds. For the high clouds, S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CAL cloud-top height is below the cloud-top height of VIIRS and of Cloudnet, while its cloud optical thickness is higher than that of VIIRS. S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CRB and S5P FRESCO cloud height are well below the Cloudnet cloud mean height for the low clouds but match on average better with the Cloudnet cloud mean height for the higher clouds. As opposed to S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CRB and S5P FRESCO, S5P OCRA/ROCINN_CAL is well able to match the lowest CTH mode of the Cloudnet observations. Peculiar geographical patterns are identified in the cloud products and will be mitigated in future releases of the cloud data products.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

HARLIE Aerosol and Cloud Structure and Wind Observations during HARGLO and IHOP

The Holographic Airborne Rotating Lidar Instrument Experiment (HARLIE) is a conical-scanning, 1-micron wavelength lidar that has been adapted for ground-based applications and used to infer horizontal wind information by tracking the motions of aerosol and cloud scattering structures. In addition, HARLIE's rapid continuous scanning enables boundary layer statistics and a new cloud lidar data product that gives cloud coverage as a function of altitude with high temporal resolution. HARLIE has been used in several field campaigns while developing the techniques for wind, boundary layer (BL), and cloud data products. These campaigns involved a variety of wind measuring instruments including rawindsondes, cloud-tracked winds from video imagery, Doppler lidars and Doppler radars. HARGLO-2 was one of these campaigns and was dedicated to wind profile intercomparisons over a 1-week period in November of 2001. The most recent of these campaigns was the International H20 Project (IHOP) located in the Southern Great Plains of the US during May and June of 2002.

Schwemmer, Geary K.↗

GeoXO Atmospheric Composition Instrument (AC) Measurements Conditions Assessment

NOAA’s next generation Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite system will advance Earth observations from geostationary orbit. GeoXO will supply vital information supporting the U.S. weather, ocean, and climate operations. The recommended three-satellite constellation includes spacecraft at GOES-Central position, that will carry an Atmospheric Composition Instrument (ACX) among its payloads; the requirement on the ACX is to scan its region of interest in one hour. An assessment of ACX observational conditions is presented, based on view geometry and solar angle range over the year. The availability for observations of each pixel is estimated per day of the year, as function of the geometric air mass factor (AMF), which can be related to signal to noise ratio using a model of the ACX instrument performance, and ultimately to expected column error for specific atmospheric species. In addition, cloud climatology – based on statistics derived from GOES-16 ABI cloud product data – is considered to determine typical fractions of cloud-free ACX observations and typical cloud optical depths, for each pixel as function of time of day and season. The results of such assessments can be used to prepare for GeoXO ACX data and further the understanding and development of the future instrument operations.

Boryana Efremova↗

Cloud Remote Sensing with EPIC/DSCOVR Observations: A Sensitivity Study with Radiative Transfer Simulations

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) views nearly the whole sunlit face of the Earth with 10 spectral bands ranging from the UV to the near-infrared, including two oxygen absorbing bands centered at 764 nm (A-band) and 687.75 nm (B-band). Clouds are among the primary remote sensing targets using EPIC images because of their important impacts on the Earth’s radiation budget. In order to facilitate the EPIC cloud data product development, we have built a radiative transfer simulator featuring flexible cloud microphysical parameters, gas absorptions, and the instrument line shape functions for each EPIC band. The radiative transfer simulator is used to explore the sensitivity of EPIC observations on liquid-phase cloud microphysical parameters, including optical depth, geometric thickness, and cloud top height. We found that the ratios of the reflectances in the oxygen A and B bands to their respective continuum measurements can be used to increase the confidence level of cloud masking over scenes with sun-glint. In addition, the 388 nm band can be used to differentiate low and high clouds with the uncertainty of roughly 2–3 km. Combining this information with the oxygen absorption bands, the cloud geometric thickness can be obtained with the rough uncertainty of 3–4 km.

atmospheric and ocean optics↗

Using Satellite Observations of Cloud Vertical Distribution to Improve Global Model Estimates of Cloud Radiative Effect on Key Tropospheric Oxidants

Radiative effect of clouds is one of the major factors that affect tropospheric OH. Large differences in cloud distributions among current (chemistry-climate or chemical transport) models could contribute significantly to the wide model spread of tropospheric OH, which was reported by the ACCMIP activity (Voulgarakis et al., ACP 2013). CCCM, a 3-D cloud data product developed at NASA Langley and merged from multiple A-Train satellite observations, provides unprecedentedly strong constraints on the vertical distribution of clouds and therefore simulated effects of clouds on key tropospheric oxidants.

Liu, Hongyu↗

MODIS Cloud Microphysics Product (MOD_PR06OD) Data Collection 6 Updates

The MODIS Cloud Optical and Microphysical Product (MOD_PR060D) for Data Collection 6 has entered full scale production. Aqua reprocessing is almost completed and Terra reprocessing will begin shortly. Unlike previous collections, the CHIMAERA code base allows for simultaneous processing for multiple sensors and the operational CHIMAERA 6.0.76 stream is also available for VIIRS and SEVIRI sensors and for our E-MAS airborne platform.

cloud microphysics product↗

A model for the separation of cloud and aerosol in SAGE II occultation data

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II satellite experiment measures the extinction due to aerosols and thin cloud, at wavelengths of 0.525 and 1.02 micrometers, down to an altitude of 6 km. The wavelength dependence of the extinction due to aerosols differs from that of the extinction due to cloud and is used as the basis of a model for separating these two components. The model is presented and its validation using airborne lidar data, obtained coincident with SAGE II observations, is described. This comparison shows that smaller SAGE II cloud extinction values correspond to the presence of subvisible cirrus cloud in the lidar record. Examples of aerosol and cloud data products obtained using this model to interpret SAGE II upper tropospheric and lower stratospheric data are also shown.

Kent, G. S.↗

Aerosol and Cloud Observations and Data Products by the GLAS Polar Orbiting Lidar Instrument

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) launched in 2003 is the first polar orbiting satellite lidar. The instrument was designed for high performance observations of the distribution and optical scattering cross sections of clouds and aerosol. The backscatter lidar operates at two wavelengths, 532 and 1064 nm. Both receiver channels meet and exceed their design goals, and beginning with a two month period through October and November 2003, an excellent global lidar data set now exists. The data products for atmospheric observations include the calibrated, attenuated backscatter cross section for cloud and aerosol; height detection for multiple cloud layers; planetary boundary layer height; cirrus and aerosol optical depth and the height distribution of aerosol and cloud scattering cross section profiles. The data sets are now in open release through the NASA data distribution system. The initial results on global statistics for cloud and aerosol distribution has been produced and in some cases compared to other satellite observations. The sensitivity of the cloud measurements is such that the 70% global cloud coverage result should be the most accurate to date. Results on the global distribution of aerosol are the first that produce the true height distribution for model inter-comparison.

Spinhirne, J. D.↗

Laser Remote Sensing From ISS: CATS Cloud and Aerosol Level 2 Data Products (Heritage Edition)

The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) instrument was developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and deployed to the International Space Station (ISS) on 10 January 2015. CATS is mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility (JEM_EF) and will provide near-continuous, altitude-resolved measurements of clouds and aerosols in the Earth's atmosphere. The CATS ISS orbit path provides a unique opportunity to capture the full diurnal cycle of cloud and aerosol development and transport, allowing for studies that are not possible with the lidar aboard the CALIPSO platform, which flies in the sun-synchronous A-Train orbit." " One of the primary science objectives of CATS is to continue the CALIPSO aerosol and cloud profile data record to provide continuity of lidar climate observations during the transition from CALIPSO to EarthCARE. To accomplish this, the CATS project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the CALIPSO project at NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) are closely collaborating to develop and deliver a full suite of CALIPSO-like level 2 data products that will be produced using the newly acquired CATS level 1B data whenever CATS is operating in science modes 1. The CALIPSO mission is now well into its ninth year of on-orbit operations, and has developed a robust set of mature and well-validated science algorithms to retrieve the spatial and optical properties of clouds and aerosols from multi-wavelength lidar backscatter signals. By leveraging both new and existing NASA technical resources, this joint effort by the CATS and CALIPSO teams will deliver validated lidar data sets to the user community at the earliest possible opportunity. The science community will have access to two sets of CATS Level 2 data products. The "Operational" data products will be produced by the GSFC CATS team utilizing the new instrument capabilities (e.g., multiple FOVs and 1064 nm depolarization), while the "Heritage" data products created using the existing CALIPSO algorithms and the CATS 532 nm channels and the total 1064 nm channel. " Below is the development of the CATS "Heritage" level 2 software and data along with some initial results with operational data."

Rodier, Sharon↗

Data product development for cold cloud and precipitation process analysis/Snow regime classifications from the NSA snow product

This grant funded work focused first on developing a data product for cold-cloud precipitation and second, under a continuation, on examining distinct snowfall regimes occurring at the North Slope Alaska (NSA) facility. The overarching goal under the first phase was to provide a data product that quantifies the vertically- and temporally-resolved properties of cold, precipitating clouds and that will enable future analyses of the processes that control their formation and evolution. The data product derives from observations at the NSA Utqiagvik (BRW) and Oliktok Point (OLI) sites, its algorithm utilizing radar observations supplemented with in situ and other collocated remote sensing measurements to constrain an optimal estimation retrieval.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗