Overview of SatCORPS Satellite-Derived Cloud and Radiation Parameters Covering ARM Domains

Description

Long-term ground-based cloud and radiative records, covering a number of climatically representative sites, are provided through the ARM Climate Research Facility. While extremely valuable for monitoring climate-related parameters, these localized measurements can be greatly enhanced with satellite monitoring of the surrounding region. Satellite-derived analyses over larger domains encompassing the ARM sites are provided by the NASA/Langley Clouds group, which applies SatCORPS (Satellite Cloud Observations and Radiative Property retrieval System, formerly referred to as the system's daytime algorithm name VISST) to routinely derive cloud and radiative parameters from various geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites. Both near-real-time and historically reprocessed data sets are available, providing coverage over the ARM fixed sites as well as the three current AMF deployments: LASIC covering Ascension Island, MICRE near Macquarie Island, and AWARE in Antarctica. An overview is provided of SatCORPS-derived data sets available from both the ARM Archive and the NASA/Langley Clouds group website. Specific improvements to the SatCORPS algorithms, as well as ongoing research developments, are discussed and demonstrated. Recent SatCORPS algorithm advances include improved methods to discriminate clouds from dust and heavy aerosols, improved nocturnal estimates of opaque ice cloud optical thickness and water path, and numerous refinements to use the wealth of new spectral information available from the Himawari-8 satellite; this allows for improved MICRE domain retrievals. New analyses that improve satellite TOA and surface flux estimates are also shown. These include GoAmazon 2014/15 TOA fluxes derived using updated narrowband-to-broadband derivation techniques based on CERES observations, as well as derivation of 2013 GOES-13 shortwave surface fluxes using the Pinker algorithm. Initial comparisons with SIRS-derived SW surface fluxes from the ARM SGP QCRad product are provided. Ongoing work that uses ASR, CloudSat/CALIPSO, and other data sets to better diagnose and account for cloud vertical structure in SatCORPS retrievals is also briefly highlighted. These include enhanced multi-layer cloud detection using an Artificial Neural Network method, and a cloud water content profiling method that yields improved estimates of ice and liquid water path in overlapping conditions. Some recent validation of SatCORPS products will also be shown.