Retrieving clear-sky atmospheric parameters from SEVIRI and ABI infrared radiances

[1] The algorithm for the current Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Sounders is adapted to produce atmospheric temperature and moisture legacy profiles from simulated infrared radiances of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on board the next generation GOES-R. Since the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Meteosat-8/9 has many of the same spectral and spatial features as ABI, it is used as proxy to test the algorithm. Because as imagers, SEVIRI and ABI do not have enough CO2 absorption spectral bands relative to the current GOES Sounders, the legacy profile algorithm for the current GOES Sounders needs to be modified. Both simulations and analysis with radiance measurements indicate that the single temperature-sensitive infrared band (13.4 mu m) of SEVIRI cannot provide enough temperature profile information. However, SEVIRI's two H2O absorption spectral bands (6.2 and 7.2 mm) are able to provide useful information on water vapor content above 700 hPa. Because of their high spatial (approximately 3 km for SEVIRI and 2 km for ABI IR bands) and high temporal (15 min full disk coverage) resolutions, SEVIRI and ABI will provide useful profile products with a quality similar to that from the current GOES Sounder prior to the availability of a hyperspectral IR sounding system in geostationary orbit.