Considering the Effects of Horizontal Heterogeneities in Satellite-Based Large-Scale Statistics of Cloud Optical Properties

被引:0
作者
Varnai, Tamas [1 ,2 ]
Marshak, Alexander [2 ]
机构
[1] Univ Maryland Baltimore Cty, Goddard Earth Sci Technol & Res GESTAR 2, Baltimore, MD 21250 USA
[2] NASA, Goddard Space Flight Ctr, Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA
基金
美国国家航空航天局;
关键词
cloud; three-dimensionality; heterogeneity; satellite; RETRIEVING 3D DISTRIBUTIONS; NEURAL-NETWORK RETRIEVAL; RADIATIVE-TRANSFER; EFFECTIVE RADIUS; BROKEN CLOUDS; MODIS; THICKNESS; SCATTERING; STRATOCUMULUS; PARTICLES;
D O I
10.3390/rs16183388
中图分类号
X [环境科学、安全科学];
学科分类号
08 ; 0830 ;
摘要
This paper explores a new approach to improving satellite measurements of cloud optical thickness and droplet size by considering the radiative impacts of horizontal heterogeneity in boundary-layer cumulus clouds. In contrast to the usual bottom-up approach that retrieves cloud properties for individual pixels and subsequently compiles large-scale statistics, the proposed top-down approach first determines the effect of 3D heterogeneity on large-scale cloud statistics and then distributes the overall effects to individual pixels. The potential of this approach is explored by applying a regression-based scheme to a simulated dataset containing over 3000 scenes generated through large eddy simulations. The results show that the new approach can greatly reduce the errors in widely used bispectral retrievals that assume horizontal homogeneity. Errors in large-scale mean values and cloud variability are typically reduced by factors of two to four for 1 km resolution retrievals-and the reductions remain significant even for a 4 km resolution. The calculations also reveal that over vegetation heterogeneity-caused droplet size retrieval biases are often opposite to the biases found over oceans. Ultimately, the proposed approach shows potential for improving the accuracy of both old and new satellite datasets.
引用
收藏
页数:21
相关论文
共 94 条
  • [1] Cloud detection with MODIS. Part II: Validation
    Ackerman, S. A.
    Holz, R. E.
    Frey, R.
    Eloranta, E. W.
    Maddux, B. C.
    McGill, M.
    [J]. JOURNAL OF ATMOSPHERIC AND OCEANIC TECHNOLOGY, 2008, 25 (07) : 1073 - 1086
  • [2] BARKER HW, 1995, J CLIMATE, V8, P2620, DOI 10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008<2620:IODOBC>2.0.CO
  • [3] 2
  • [4] How well do we understand and evaluate climate change feedback processes?
    Bony, Sandrine
    Colman, Robert
    Kattsov, Vladimir M.
    Allan, Richard P.
    Bretherton, Christopher S.
    Dufresne, Jean-Louis
    Hall, Alex
    Hallegatte, Stephane
    Holland, Marika M.
    Ingram, William
    Randall, David A.
    Soden, Brian J.
    Tselioudis, George
    Webb, Mark J.
    [J]. JOURNAL OF CLIMATE, 2006, 19 (15) : 3445 - 3482
  • [5] Sugar, Gravel, Fish, and Flowers: Dependence of Mesoscale Patterns of Trade-Wind Clouds on Environmental Conditions
    Bony, Sandrine
    Schulz, Hauke
    Vial, Jessica
    Stevens, Bjorn
    [J]. GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 2020, 47 (07)
  • [6] A comparison of cloud droplet radii measured from space
    Bréon, FM
    Doutriaux-Boucher, M
    [J]. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING, 2005, 43 (08): : 1796 - 1805
  • [7] BREON FM, 1992, J ATMOS SCI, V49, P1221, DOI 10.1175/1520-0469(1992)049<1221:ROBCFS>2.0.CO
  • [8] 2
  • [9] The 13RC -: Bringing together the most advanced radiative transfer tools for cloudy atmospheres
    Cahalan, RF
    Oreopoulos, L
    Marshak, A
    Evans, KF
    Davis, AB
    Pincus, R
    Yetzer, KH
    Mayer, B
    Davies, R
    Ackerman, TP
    Barker, HW
    Clothiaux, EE
    Ellingson, RG
    Garay, MJ
    Kassianov, E
    Kinne, S
    Macke, A
    O'Hirok, W
    Partain, PT
    Prigarin, SM
    Rublev, AN
    Stephens, GL
    Szczap, F
    Takara, EE
    Várnai, T
    Wen, GY
    Zhuravleva, TB
    [J]. BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, 2005, 86 (09) : 1275 - +
  • [10] MARINE STRATOCUMULUS STRUCTURE
    CAHALAN, RF
    SNIDER, JB
    [J]. REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT, 1989, 28 : 95 - &