The 27-28 October 1986 FIRE IFO cirrus case study - Cloud parameter fields derived from satellite data

Abstract A methodology for estimating cirrus cloud amounts and altitudes using visible and infrared satellite data was developed and tested using FIRE Cirrus Intensive Field Observation (IFO) coincident lidar and satellite data with a theoretical cloud albedo model. On average, cloud center heights could be determined to within ±0.9 km of the lidar-derived values using the satellite data alone. Satellite-derived, total cloud tops are generally 0.5 ± 0.9 km lower than the lidar cloud tops. If only high clouds are considered, the avenge cloud top is 0.1 ± 0.6 km higher than the lidar cloud top. The accuracies of the lidar cloud-center and cloud-top heights are estimated to be within ±0.7 km of the actual values. Satellite-derived average cloud emittance and visible optical depths can be determined to within ±0.05 and ±0.13, respectively, of the reference cloud emittance. Cirrus cloud thickness was also derived. The satellite retrieval yields cloud depths that are 0.3±1.0 km thinner than the lidar-derived cl...