Determination of cloud geometrical thickness using backscattered solar light in a gaseous absorption band

Author

Rozanov, Vladimir V. ; Kokhanovsky, Alexander A.

Author_Institution

Inst. of Environ. Phys., Bremen Univ., Germany

Volume

3

Issue

2

fYear

2006

fDate

4/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

250

Lastpage

253

Abstract

A method previously developed by the authors is employed to determine the cloud geometrical thickness from combined measurements of the cloud brightness temperature and the backscattered solar light intensity in the O₂ A-band. The technique is applied to the analysis of four selected orbits of the European Remote Sensing 2 satellite using measurements performed by the Global Ozone Measurement Experiment spectrometer and the Along Track Scanning Radiometer. Cloud geometrical thicknesses were found to be in the range 0.5-7.5 km with most frequent values of 3 km for the cases studied.

Keywords

atmospheric spectra; atmospheric techniques; backscatter; clouds; oxygen; radiative transfer; remote sensing; visible spectra; 758 to 772 nm; Along Track Scanning Radiometer; European Remote Sensing 2 satellite; Global Ozone Measurement Experiment spectrometer; O₂; O₂ A-band; backscattered solar light intensity; cloud brightness temperature; cloud geometrical thickness; gaseous absorption band; radiative transfer; remote sensing; Absorption; Brightness temperature; Clouds; Extraterrestrial measurements; Orbits; Performance analysis; Performance evaluation; Remote sensing; Satellite broadcasting; Thickness measurement; Clouds; radiative transfer; remote sensing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1545-598X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LGRS.2005.863388

Filename

1621089