Derivation of cloud properties from biwavelength polarization measurements

Willem Jan Knibbe; Johan F. de Haan; Joop W. Hovenier; Larry D. Travis

doi:10.1117/12.228535

15 December 1995 Derivation of cloud properties from biwavelength polarization measurements

Willem Jan Knibbe, Johan F. de Haan, Joop W. Hovenier, Larry D. Travis

Proceedings Volume 2582, Atmospheric Sensing and Modeling II; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.228535
Event: Satellite Remote Sensing II, 1995, Paris, France

Abstract

The influence of the top altitude of terrestrial liquid water clouds on the polarization of sunlight reflected by a cloudy atmosphere is theoretically investigated. It is compared to the influences of other cloud properties and of stratospheric aerosols. Using a typical atmosphere model, we show how accurately the cloud top pressure may be derived from nadir measurements performed by satellites of the polarization at 350 nm. The accuracy of the derived pressure is about 5 mb under favorable conditions, when the accuracy of polarization measurements is 0.1%, and it depends mainly on knowledge of the density of the cloud and of the stratospheric aerosol optical thickness. The stratospheric aerosol optical thickness may be estimated with an accuracy of 0.02 using observations of the polarization at 670 nm having an accuracy of 0.1%.

Citation Download Citation

Willem Jan Knibbe, Johan F. de Haan, Joop W. Hovenier, and Larry D. Travis "Derivation of cloud properties from biwavelength polarization measurements", Proc. SPIE 2582, Atmospheric Sensing and Modeling II, (15 December 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.228535

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