Remote sensing of absorbing aerosols and precipitable water vapor using MFRSR measurements

Mikhail D. Alexandrov; Brian Cairns; Andrew A. Lacis; Barbara E. Carlson

doi:10.1117/12.687110

11 October 2006 Remote sensing of absorbing aerosols and precipitable water vapor using MFRSR measurements

Mikhail D. Alexandrov, Brian Cairns, Andrew A. Lacis, Barbara E. Carlson

Proceedings Volume 6362, Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere XI; 636202 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.687110
Event: SPIE Remote Sensing, 2006, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

We present further development of our analysis algorithm for Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) data. The new additions include techniques allowing us to retrieve spectral aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) and column amount of precipitable water vapor (PWV). The SSA retrievals employ MFRSR measurements of both direct normal and diffuse horizontal irradiances. We present a sensitivity study indicating dependence of SSA retrievals on optical thickness and other aerosol parameters. Influence on the retrievals of a possible error in separation of the direct and diffuse irradiances by the instrument is discussed. The algorithm has been tested on a long-term dataset from the local MFRSR network at the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program site in Southern Great Plains (SGP). Our results are compared to AERONET's almucantar retrievals of SSA from CIMEL sun-photometer co-located with the MFRSR at the SGP Central Facility. A constrained variant of the algorithm (assuming zero nitrogen dioxide column values) is used for this comparison and to study the influence of the uncertainty associated with this atmospheric gas on the retrieved aerosol absorption properties. Precipitable water vapor column amounts are determined from the direct normal irradiances in the 940 nm MFRSR spectral channel. HITRAN 2004 spectral database has been used to model the water vapor absorption, while a range of other databases (HITRAN 1996, 2000, ESA) is used in the sensitivity study. The results of the PWV retrievals for SGP's MFRSR network are compared with correlative measurements by Microwave Radiometers (MWR), GPS stations, AERONET, and MODIS satellite product. In the latter case an interpolation technique has been used to determine spatial structure of water vapor field from the network data and to create a 2D dataset comparable with satellite data.

Citation Download Citation

Mikhail D. Alexandrov, Brian Cairns, Andrew A. Lacis, and Barbara E. Carlson "Remote sensing of absorbing aerosols and precipitable water vapor using MFRSR measurements", Proc. SPIE 6362, Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere XI, 636202 (11 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.687110

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available