Radar-lidar synergy for space-based retrieval of water cloud parameters

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceedings/Edited volumeConference contributionScientific

    Abstract

    Knowledge of water clouds is essential for climate studies. To understand present global climate and predict climate changes, global observations of cloud microphysical properties are needed and space-based systems must be considered. Retrieval of cloud parameters form space challenges current technological possibilities; not just due to sensor limitations, but also due to complex relationships between cloud parameters and remote sensing observables. Straight-forward retrieval of cloud microphysics with radar only, is hindered by the presence of drizzle. To overcome this problem, sunergetic use of multiple sensors is employed. This paper focusses on the retrieval of the cloud liquid water content by means of spaceborne radar lidar measurements. The combination of radar reflectivity and lidar optical extinction is used to classify clouds according to their drizzle fraction. Appropiate retrieval algorithms can then be applied to each category to obtain the liquid water content. As the method was initially developed for ground-based insturments, differences between sensing clouds from above and below were studied. Airborne data was the used to simulate space-based measurements and suitability of the technique for space-based applications was established. It is shown that accurate liquid water content retrieval form space is possible.
    Original languageUndefined/Unknown
    Title of host publicationProceedings of the 11th conference on Mesoscale processes and the 32nd conference on radar meteorology
    Editors s.n.
    Place of PublicationBoston
    PublisherAmerican Meteorology Society
    Pages1-9
    Number of pages9
    ISBN (Print)geen
    Publication statusPublished - 2005
    Event11th Conference on Mesoscale Processes and the 32nd Conference on Radar Meteorology - Boston, Albuquerque, NM, United States
    Duration: 24 Oct 200529 Oct 2005

    Publication series

    Name
    PublisherAmerican Meteorology Society

    Conference

    Conference11th Conference on Mesoscale Processes and the 32nd Conference on Radar Meteorology
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    CityAlbuquerque, NM
    Period24/10/0529/10/05

    Bibliographical note

    Editor onbekend JH

    Keywords

    • conference contrib. refereed
    • Conf.proc. > 3 pag

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