Subvisual-thin cirrus lidar dataset for satellite verification and climatological research

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of Applied Meteorology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1992)031<1275:STCLDF>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:7184486

Sassen, K; Cho, B S ^[1]

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1. Utah Univ., Salt Lake City (United States)

A polarization (0.694 microns wavelength) lidar dataset for subvisual and thin (bluish-colored) cirrus clouds is drawn from project FIRE (First ISCCP Regional Experiment) extended time observations. The clouds are characterized by their day-night visual appearance; base, top, and optical midcloud heights and temperatures; measured physical and estimated optical cloud thicknesses; integrated linear depolarization ratios; and derived k/2 eta ratios. A subset of the data supporting 30 NOAA polar-orbiting satellite overpasses is given in tabular form to provide investigators with the means to test cloud retrieval algorithms and establish the limits of cirrus detectability from satellite measurements under various conditions. Climatologically, subvisual-thin cirrus appear to be higher, colder, and more strongly depolarizing than previously reported multilatitude cirrus, although similar k/2 eta that decrease with height and temperature are found. 22 refs.

• OSTI ID: 7184486
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (United States) Vol. 31:11; ISSN JOAMEZ; ISSN 0894-8763
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
CLIMATE MODELS
CLOUDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OPTICAL RADAR
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADAR
RANGE FINDERS
SATELLITES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS