scholarly journals Absorption of aerosols above clouds from POLDER/PARASOL measurements and estimation of their direct radiative effect

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (8) ◽  
pp. 4179-4196 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Peers ◽  
F. Waquet ◽  
C. Cornet ◽  
P. Dubuisson ◽  
F. Ducos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Original Method ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness ◽  
The Mean

Abstract. This study presents an original method to evaluate key parameters for the estimation of the direct radiative effect (DRE) of aerosol above clouds: the absorption of the the cloud albedo. It is based on multi-angle total and polarized radiances both provided by the A-train satellite instrument POLDER – Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances. The sensitivities brought by each kind of measurements are used in a complementary way. Polarization mostly translates scattering processes and is thus used to estimate scattering aerosol optical thickness and aerosol size. On the other hand, total radiances, together with the scattering properties of aerosols, are used to evaluate the absorption optical thickness of aerosols and cloud optical thickness. The retrieval of aerosol and clouds properties (i.e., aerosol and cloud optical thickness, aerosol single scattering albedo and Ångström exponent) is restricted to homogeneous and optically thick clouds (cloud optical thickness larger than 3). In addition, a procedure has been developed to process the shortwave DRE of aerosols above clouds. Three case studies have been selected: a case of absorbing biomass burning aerosols above clouds over the southeast Atlantic Ocean, a Siberian biomass burning event and a layer of Saharan dust above clouds off the northwest coast of Africa. Besides these case studies, both algorithms have been applied to the southeast Atlantic Ocean and the results have been averaged during August 2006. The mean DRE is found to be 33.5 W m−2 (warming). Finally, the effect of the heterogeneity of clouds has been investigated and reveals that it affects mostly the retrieval of the cloud optical thickness and not greatly the aerosols properties. The homogenous cloud assumption used in both the properties retrieval and the DRE processing leads to a slight underestimation of the DRE.

scholarly journals Absorption of aerosols above clouds from POLDER/PARASOL measurements and estimation of their Direct Radiative Effect

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (18) ◽  
pp. 25533-25579 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Peers ◽  
F. Waquet ◽  
C. Cornet ◽  
P. Dubuisson ◽  
F. Ducos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
East Atlantic ◽  
Aerosol Absorption ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Aerosol Properties

Abstract. The albedo of clouds and the aerosol absorption are key parameters to evaluate the direct radiative effect of an aerosol layer above clouds. While most of the retrievals of above clouds aerosol characteristics rely on assumptions on the aerosol properties, this study offers a new method to evaluate aerosol and cloud optical properties simultaneously (i.e. aerosol and cloud optical thickness, aerosol single scattering albedo and angström exponent). It is based on multi-angle total and polarized radiances both provided by the A-train satellite instrument POLDER – Polarization and Directionality of Earth Reflectances. The sensitivities brought by each kind of measurements are used in a complementary way. Polarization mostly translates scattering processes and is thus used to estimate the scattering aerosol optical thickness and the aerosol size. On the other hand, total radiances, together with the scattering properties of aerosols, are used to evaluate the absorption optical thickness of aerosols and the cloud optical thickness. In addition, a procedure has been developed to process the shortwave direct radiative effect of aerosols above clouds based on exact modeling. Besides the three case studies (i.e. biomass burning aerosols from Africa and Siberia and Saharan dust), both algorithms have been applied on the South East Atlantic Ocean and results have been averaged through August 2006. The mean direct radiative effect is found to be 33.5 W m−2. Finally, the effect of the heterogeneity of clouds has been investigated and reveals that it affects mostly the retrieval of the cloud optical thickness and not much the aerosols properties. The homogenous cloud assumption used in both the properties retrieval and the DRE processing leads to a slight underestimation of the DRE.

scholarly journals Intercomparison of biomass burning aerosol optical properties from in situ and remote-sensing instruments in ORACLES-2016

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (14) ◽  
pp. 9181-9208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Pistone ◽  
Jens Redemann ◽  
Sarah Doherty ◽  
Paquita Zuidema ◽  
Sharon Burton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Single Scattering Albedo ◽  
Aerosol Optical Properties ◽  
Biomass Burning Aerosol

Abstract. The total effect of aerosols, both directly and on cloud properties, remains the biggest source of uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing on the climate. Correct characterization of intensive aerosol optical properties, particularly in conditions where absorbing aerosol is present, is a crucial factor in quantifying these effects. The southeast Atlantic Ocean (SEA), with seasonal biomass burning smoke plumes overlying and mixing with a persistent stratocumulus cloud deck, offers an excellent natural laboratory to make the observations necessary to understand the complexities of aerosol–cloud–radiation interactions. The first field deployment of the NASA ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) campaign was conducted in September of 2016 out of Walvis Bay, Namibia. Data collected during ORACLES-2016 are used to derive aerosol properties from an unprecedented number of simultaneous measurement techniques over this region. Here, we present results from six of the eight independent instruments or instrument combinations, all applied to measure or retrieve aerosol absorption and single-scattering albedo. Most but not all of the biomass burning aerosol was located in the free troposphere, in relative humidities typically ranging up to 60 %. We present the single-scattering albedo (SSA), absorbing and total aerosol optical depth (AAOD and AOD), and absorption, scattering, and extinction Ångström exponents (AAE, SAE, and EAE, respectively) for specific case studies looking at near-coincident and near-colocated measurements from multiple instruments, and SSAs for the broader campaign average over the month-long deployment. For the case studies, we find that SSA agrees within the measurement uncertainties between multiple instruments, though, over all cases, there is no strong correlation between values reported by one instrument and another. We also find that agreement between the instruments is more robust at higher aerosol loading (AOD400>0.4). The campaign-wide average and range shows differences in the values measured by each instrument. We find the ORACLES-2016 campaign-average SSA at 500 nm (SSA500) to be between 0.85 and 0.88, depending on the instrument considered (4STAR, AirMSPI, or in situ measurements), with the interquartile ranges for all instruments between 0.83 and 0.89. This is consistent with previous September values reported over the region (between 0.84 and 0.90 for SSA at 550nm). The results suggest that the differences observed in the campaign-average values may be dominated by instrument-specific spatial sampling differences and the natural physical variability in aerosol conditions over the SEA, rather than fundamental methodological differences.

scholarly journals Aerosol seasonal variations over urban sites in Ukraine and Belarus according to AERONET and POLDER measurements

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 10731-10759 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Milinevsky ◽  
V. Danylevsky ◽  
V. Bovchaliuk ◽  
A. Bovchaliuk ◽  
Ph. Goloub ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Aerosol Optical Thickness ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Coarse Mode ◽  
Modal Radius ◽  
Urban Sites

Abstract. The paper presents an investigation of aerosol seasonal variations in several urban sites in the East European region. Our analysis of seasonal variations of optical and physical aerosol parameters is based on the sun-photometer 2008–2012 data from three urban ground-based AERONET sites in Ukraine (Kyiv, Kyiv-AO, and Lugansk) and one site in Belarus (Minsk), as well as on satellite POLDER instrument data for urban areas in Ukraine. Aerosol amount and optical thickness values exhibit peaks in the spring (April–May) and late summer (August), whereas minimum values are seen in late autumn over the Kyiv and Minsk sites. The results show that aerosol fine mode particles are most frequently detected during the spring and late summer seasons. The seasonal variation similarity in the two regions points to the resemblance in basic aerosol sources which are closely related to properties of aerosol particles. However the aerosol amount and properties change noticeably from year to year and from region to region. The analysis of seasonal aerosol optical thickness variations over the urban sites in the eastern and western parts of Ukraine according to both ground-based and POLDER data exhibits the same traits. In particular, over Kyiv, the values of the Angstrom exponent are lower in April of 2011 than in 2009 and 2010, while aerosol optical thickness values are almost the same, which can be explained by an increase in the amount of coarse mode particles in the atmosphere, such as Saharan dust. Moreover, the coarse mode particles prevailed over suburbs and the center of Kyiv during a third of all available days of observation in 2012. In general, the fine and coarse mode particles' modal radii averaged over 2008–2012 range from 0.1 to 0.2 μm and 2 to 5 μm, respectively, during the period from April to September. The single scattering albedo and refractive index values of these particles correspond to a mix of urban-industrial, biomass burning, and dust aerosols. In addition, strongly absorbing particles were observed in the period from October to March, and the modal radius of fine and coarse mode particles changed from month to month widely.

scholarly journals Estimation of cloud optical thickness, single scattering albedo and effective droplet radius using a shortwave radiative closure study in Payerne

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Aebi ◽  
Julian Gröbner ◽  
Stelios Kazadzis ◽  
Laurent Vuilleumier ◽  
Antonis Gkikas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Diffuse Radiation ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Single Scattering Albedo ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Surface Radiation ◽  
Droplet Radius ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness ◽  
Radiation Measurements

Abstract. We have used a method based on ground-based solar radiation measurements and radiative transfer models (RTM) in order to estimate the following cloud optical properties: cloud optical thickness (COT), cloud single scattering albedo (SSAc) and effective droplet radius (reff). The method is based on the minimisation of the difference between modelled and measured downward shortwave radiation (DSR). The optical properties are estimated for more than 3,000 stratus-altostratus (St-As) and 206 cirrus-cirrostratus (Ci-Cs) measurements during 2013–2017, at the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) station in Payerne, Switzerland. The RTM libRadtran is used to simulate the total DSR, as well as its direct and diffuse components. The model inputs of additional atmospheric parameters are either ground- or satellite-based measurements. The cloud cases are identified by the use of an all-sky cloud camera. For the low- to mid-level cloud class St-As, 95 % of the estimated COT values from DSR measurements (COTDSR) are between 11.9 and 91.5 with a geometric mean and standard deviation of 33.81 and 1.67, respectively. The comparison of these COTDSR values with COTBarnard values retrieved from an independent empirical equation, results in a mean difference of −1.20 ± 2.73 and is thus within the method uncertainty. However, there is a larger mean difference of around 18 between COTDSR and COT values derived from MODIS level-2 (L2), Collection 6.1 (C6.1) data (COTMODIS). The estimated reff (from liquid water path (LWP) and COTDSR) for St-As are between 2.1 and 20.4 μm. For the high-level cloud class Ci-Cs, COTDSR is derived considering the direct radiation and 95 % of the values are between 0.32 and 1.40. For Ci-Cs, 95 % of the SSAc values are estimated to be between 0.84 and 0.99 using diffuse radiation measurements. The COT values for Ci-Cs are also estimated from data from precision filter radiometers (PFR) at various wavelengths. The herein presented method could be applied and validated at other stations with direct and diffuse radiation measurements.

scholarly journals The impact of deforestation in the Amazonian atmospheric radiative balance: a remote sensing assessment

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 14837-14874 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. T. Sena ◽  
P. Artaxo ◽  
A. L. Correia
Keyword(s):  
Water Vapour ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Surface Albedo ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Water Vapour Content ◽  
Albedo Change ◽  
Direct Radiative Forcing ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. This paper addresses the Amazonian radiative budget after considering three aspects of deforestation: (i) the emission of aerosols from biomass burning due to forest fires; (ii) changes in surface albedo after deforestation and (iii) modifications in the column water vapour amount over deforested areas. Simultaneous Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) shortwave fluxes and aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MODIS) were analysed during the peak of the biomass burning seasons (August and September) from 2000 to 2009. A discrete-ordinate radiative transfer (DISORT) code was used to extend instantaneous remote sensing radiative forcing assessments into 24-h averages. The mean direct radiative forcing of aerosols at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) during the biomass burning season for the 10-yr studied period was −5.6 ± 1.7 W m−2. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the direct radiative forcing of aerosols over Amazon was obtained for the biomass burning season of each year. It was observed that for high AOD (larger than 1 at 550 nm) the imbalance in the radiative forcing at the TOA may be as high as −20 W m−2 locally. The surface reflectance plays a major role in the aerosol direct radiative effect. The study of the effects of biomass burning aerosols over different surface types shows that the direct radiative forcing is systematically more negative over forest than over savannah-like covered areas. Values of −15.7 ± 2.4 W m−2/τ550 nm and −9.3 ± 1.7 W m−2/τ550 nm were calculated for the mean daily aerosol forcing efficiencies over forest and savannah-like vegetation respectively. The overall mean annual albedo-change radiative forcing due to deforestation over the state of Rondônia, Brazil, was determined as −7.3 ± 0.9 W m−2. Biomass burning aerosols impact the radiative budget for approximately two months per year, whereas the surface albedo impact is observed throughout the year. Because of this difference, the estimated impact in the Amazonian annual radiative budget due to surface albedo-change is approximately 6 times higher than the impact due to aerosol emissions. The influence of atmospheric water vapour content in the radiative budget was also studied using AERONET column water vapour. It was observed that column water vapour is in average smaller by about 0.35 cm over deforested areas compared to forested areas. Our results indicate that this drying impact contributes to an increase in the shortwave radiative effect that varies from 0.4 W m−2 to 1.2 W m−2, depending on the column water vapour content before deforestation. The large radiative forcing values presented in this study point out that deforestation has strong implications in convection, cloud development and photosynthesis rate over the Amazon region.

scholarly journals Aerosol above-cloud direct radiative effect and properties in the Namibian region during the AErosol, RadiatiOn, and CLOuds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) field campaign – Multi-Viewing, Multi-Channel, Multi-Polarization (3MI) airborne simulator and sun photometer measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 8233-8253
Author(s):  
Aurélien Chauvigné ◽  
Fabien Waquet ◽  
Frédérique Auriol ◽  
Luc Blarel ◽  
Cyril Delegove ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Visible Range ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Field Campaign ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Cloud Properties ◽  
Fine Mode ◽  
Sun Photometer

Abstract. We analyse the airborne measurements of above-cloud aerosols from the AErosol, RadiatiOn, and CLOuds in southern Africa (AEROCLO-sA) field campaign performed in Namibia during August and September 2017. The study aims to retrieve the aerosol above-cloud direct radiative effect (DRE) with well-defined uncertainties. To improve the retrieval of the aerosol and cloud properties, the airborne demonstrator of the Multi-Viewing, Multi-Channel, Multi-Polarization (3MI) satellite instrument, called the Observing System Including PolaRisation in the Solar Infrared Spectrum (OSIRIS), was deployed on-board the SAFIRE (Service des Avions Français Instrumentés pour la Rechercheen Environnement) Falcon 20 aircraft during 10 flights performed over land, over the ocean, and along the Namibian coast. The airborne instrument OSIRIS provides observations at high temporal and spatial resolutions for aerosol above clouds (AACs) and cloud properties. OSIRIS was supplemented with the Photomètre Léger Aéroporté pour la surveillance des Masses d'Air version 2 (PLASMA2). The combined airborne measurements allow, for the first time, the validation of AAC algorithms previously developed for satellite measurements. The variations in the aerosol properties are consistent with the different atmospheric circulation regimes observed during the deployment. Airborne observations typically show strong aerosol optical depth (AOD; up to 1.2 at 550 nm) of fine-mode particles from biomass burning (extinction Ångström exponent varying between 1.6 and 2.2), transported above bright stratocumulus decks (mean cloud top around 1 km above mean sea level), with cloud optical thickness (COT) up to 35 at 550 nm. The above-cloud visible AOD retrieved with OSIRIS agrees within 10 % of the PLASMA2 sun photometer measurements in the same environment. The single scattering albedo (SSA) is one of the most influential parameters on the AAC DRE calculation that remains largely uncertain in models. During the AEROCLO-sA campaign, the average SSA obtained by OSIRIS at 550 nm is 0.87, which is in agreement within 3 %, on average, with previous polarimetric-based satellite and airborne retrievals. The strong absorption of the biomass burning plumes in the visible range is generally consistent with the observations from the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) ground-based sun photometers. This, however, shows a significant increase in the particles' absorption at 440 nm in northern Namibia and Angola, which indicates more absorbing organic species within the observed smoke plumes. Biomass burning aerosols are also vertically collocated, with significant amounts of water content up to the top of the plume at around 6 km height in our measurements. The detailed characterization of aerosol and cloud properties, water vapour, and their uncertainties obtained from OSIRIS and PLASMA2 measurements allows us to study their impacts on the AAC DRE. The high-absorbing load of AAC, combined with high cloud albedo, leads to unprecedented DRE estimates, which are higher than previous satellite-based estimates. The average AAC DRE calculated from the airborne measurements in the visible range is +85 W m−2 (standard deviation of 26 W m−2), with instantaneous values up to +190 W m−2 during intense events. These high DRE values, associated with their uncertainties, have to be considered as new upper cases in order to evaluate the ability of models to reproduce the radiative impact of the aerosols over the southeastern Atlantic region.

scholarly journals Retrieval of Cloud Optical Thickness from Sky-View Camera Images using a Deep Convolutional Neural Network based on Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 1962 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryosuke Masuda ◽  
Hironobu Iwabuchi ◽  
Konrad Sebastian Schmidt ◽  
Alessandro Damiani ◽  
Rei Kudo
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Radiative Transfer ◽  
Convolutional Neural Network ◽  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Digital Camera ◽  
Transfer Model ◽  
Radiative Effect ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness

Observation of the spatial distribution of cloud optical thickness (COT) is useful for the prediction and diagnosis of photovoltaic power generation. However, there is not a one-to-one relationship between transmitted radiance and COT (so-called COT ambiguity), and it is difficult to estimate COT because of three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer effects. We propose a method to train a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a 3D radiative transfer model, which enables the quick estimation of the slant-column COT (SCOT) distribution from the image of a ground-mounted radiometrically calibrated digital camera. The CNN retrieves the SCOT spatial distribution using spectral features and spatial contexts. An evaluation of the method using synthetic data shows a high accuracy with a mean absolute percentage error of 18% in the SCOT range of 1–100, greatly reducing the influence of the 3D radiative effect. As an initial analysis result, COT is estimated from a sky image taken by a digital camera, and a high correlation is shown with the effective COT estimated using a pyranometer. The discrepancy between the two is reasonable, considering the difference in the size of the field of view, the space–time averaging method, and the 3D radiative effect.

scholarly journals Intercomparison of biomass burning aerosol optical properties from in-situ and remote-sensing instruments in ORACLES-2016

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina Pistone ◽  
Jens Redemann ◽  
Sarah Doherty ◽  
Paquita Zuidema ◽  
Sharon Burton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Single Scattering Albedo ◽  
Aerosol Optical Properties ◽  
Biomass Burning Aerosol

Abstract. The total effect of aerosols, both directly and on cloud properties, remains the biggest source of uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing on the climate. Correct characterization of intensive aerosol optical properties, particularly in conditions where absorbing aerosol is present, is a crucial factor in quantifying these effects. The Southeast Atlantic Ocean (SEA), with seasonal biomass burning smoke plumes overlying and mixing with a persistent stratocumulus cloud deck, offers an excellent natural laboratory to make the observations necessary to understand the complexities of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions. The first field deployment of the NASA ORACLES (ObseRvations of Aerosols above CLouds and their intEractionS) campaign was conducted in September of 2016 out of Walvis Bay, Namibia. Data collected during ORACLES-2016 are used to derive aerosol properties from an unprecedented number of simultaneous measurement techniques over this region. Here we present results from six of the eight independent instruments or instrument combinations, all applied to measure or retrieve aerosol absorption and single scattering albedo. Most but not all of the biomass-burning aerosol was located in the free troposphere, in relative humidities typically ranging up to 60 %. We present the single scattering albedo (SSA), absorbing and total aerosol optical depth (AOD and AAOD), and absorption, scattering, and extinction Ångström exponents (AAE, SAE, EAE) for specific case studies looking at near-coincident and -colocated measurements from multiple instruments, and SSAs for the broader campaign average over the monthlong deployment. For the case studies, we find that SSA agrees within the measurement uncertainties between multiple instruments, though, over all cases, there is no strong correlation between values reported by one instrument and another. We also find that agreement between the instruments is more robust at higher aerosol loading (AOD400 > 0.4). The campaign-wide average and range shows differences in the values measured by each instrument. We find the ORACLES-2016 campaign-average SSA at 500 nm (SSA500) to be between 0.85 and 0.88, depending on the instrument considered (4STAR, AirMSPI, or in situ measurements), with the inter-quartile ranges for all instruments between 0.83 and 0.89. This is consistent with previous September values reported over the region (between 0.84 and 0.90 for SSA at 550 nm). The results suggest that the differences observed in the campaign-average values may be dominated by instrument-specific spatial sampling differences and the natural physical variability in aerosol conditions over the SEA, rather than fundamental methodological differences.

A New Parameterization Scheme for Shortwave Radiative Properties of Water Clouds

1995 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guotong Zhang ◽  
Lisheng Xu ◽  
Hongbin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Liquid Water Content ◽  
Single Scattering ◽  
Radiative Properties ◽  
Parameterization Scheme ◽  
Equivalent Radius ◽  
Cloud Models ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness ◽  
Drop Size Distributions ◽  
Cloud Thickness

Abstract A new parameterization scheme for the shortwave radiative properties of water clouds is presented, using versatile cloud drop size distributions ( DSDs). As for single-scattering properties, a new parameterization for cloud optical thickness is proposed by using the separation of the dependence of r on the total number of theDSDs, the cloud thickness, and the liquid water content, combined with equivalent radius. The cloud bulk radiative properties are obtained from the delta-Eddington approximation for our cloud models. It is shown that the flux reflectivity, transmissivity, and absorptivity are uniquely fitted by a dimensionless parameter X or the cloud optical thickness 7. The parameterization is compared with other schemes. The features and potential use of the scheme are discussed.

scholarly journals Improved information about the vertical location and extent of cloud layers from POLDER3 measurements in the oxygen A band

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 2533-2581 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Desmons ◽  
N. Ferlay ◽  
F. Parol ◽  
L. Mcharek ◽  
C. Vanbauce
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Oxygen Pressure ◽  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Vertical Extent ◽  
Satellite Platform ◽  
Cloud Optical Thickness ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The One

Abstract. This paper describes new advances in the exploitation of oxygen A band measurements from POLDER3 sensor aboard PARASOL, satellite platform within the A-Train. These developments result from a better account of the dependence of POLDER oxygen parameters to cloud optical thickness τ and to the scene's geometrical conditions, but also and more importantly from the finer understanding of the sensitivity of these parameters to cloud vertical extent. This sensitivity is made possible thanks to the multidirectional character of POLDER measurements. In the case of monolayer clouds that represent most of cloudy conditions, new oxygen parameters are obtained and calibrated from POLDER3 data colocalized with the measurements of the two active sensors of the A-Train, CALIOP/CALIPSO and CPR/CloudSat. From a parameterization that is (μs, τ) dependent, with μs the cosine of the solar zenith angle, a cloud top oxygen pressure (CTOP) and a cloud middle oxygen pressure (CMOP) are obtained which are estimates of actual cloud top and middle pressures. The performance of CTOP and CMOP are presented for the most numerous ISCCP cases in 2008. The coefficient of the correlation between CMOP and the actual cloud middle pressure is 0.81 for cirrostratus, 0.79 for stratocumulus, 0.75 for deep convective clouds. The coefficient of the correlation between CTOP and the actual cloud top pressure is 0.75, 0.73, and 0.79 for the same cloud types respectively. The score obtained by CTOP, defined as the confidence in the retrieval for a particular range of infered value and for a given error, is higher than the one of MODIS CTP. For liquid and ice clouds, the score reaches 50 and 70% respectively for bin value of CTP superior in numbers and accepted errors of 30 and 50 hPa. From the difference between CTOP and CMOP, a first estimate of the cloud vertical extent H is possible. Then, the correlation between the angular standard deviation of POLDER oxygen pressure σPO2 and the cloud vertical extent is described in detail in the case of liquid clouds. The correlation is shown to be spatially and temporally robust, excepted for clouds above land during winter months. The study of the correlation's dependence to cloud optical thickness and to the scene's geometrical conditions leads to parameterizations which provide a second way for retrieving H for this type of clouds. For liquid water clouds above ocean in 2008, the mean difference between the actual cloud vertical extent and the one retrieved from σPO2 (from the pressure difference) is 5 m (−12 m). The standard deviation of the mean difference is close to 1000 m for the two methods. The score of 50% confidence for the retrieval of H corresponds to an error of 20 and 40% for ice and liquid clouds respectively over ocean. These promising results need to be validated outside of the CALIPSO/CloudSat track.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document