The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data studied at present are as follows: (1) Solar Data from ERBS, NOAA-9, and NOAA-10. The solar total irradiance data obtained by the ERBE solar monitors serve as a calibration check on the earth viewing radiometers, as well as provide the experimental value of the solar constant needed in the net radiation computations. (2) The collocated satellite altitude irradiances from ERBS and Nimbus-7 Earth Radiation Budget Measurements are investigated. The sun-synchronous, near-local-noon Nimbus-7 satellite has coincident orbital intersections with the non-sun-synchronous ERBS spacecraft. The objective here is to compare the WFOV and MFOV (wide and medium field-of-view) observations of the ERBS/ERBE, and the Nimbus-7 ERB data sets at the points of their orbital intersections. (3) Globally and zonally averaged ERBE/ERBS data are examined. Investigations of the globally and zonally averaged ERB obtained from the ERBS SCANNER, MFOV and WFOV and the Nimbus-7 WFOV is being carried out to assess the sensor performance.