HR: 09:15h
AN: H31A-06    [PDF]
TI: Characteristics of Water Vapor Under Partially Cloudy Conditions: Observations by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)
AU: * Fishbein, E
EM: Evan.Fishbein@jpl.nasa.gov
AF: Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. MS 169-237, Pasadena, CA 91109 United States
AB: The variability and quality of tropical water vapor derived from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) are characterized. Profiles of water vapor, temperature and surface characteristics (states) are derived from coincident Advance Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and 3x3 sets of AIRS footprints. States are obtained under partially cloudy conditions by estimating the radiances emitted from the clear portions of the AIRS footprints. This procedure, referred to as cloud clearing, amplifies the measurement noise, and the amplification increases with cloud amount and uniformity. Cumulus and stratus cloud amount are related to the water vapor saturation, and noise amplification and water vapor amount may be partially correlated. The correlations between the uncertainty of retrieved water vapor, cloudiness and noise amplification are characterized. Retrieved water vapor is generally good when the amplification is less than three. Water vapor profiles are compared with correlative data, such as radiosondes and numerical weather center analyses and are in relatively good agreement in the lower troposphere
DE: 0365 Troposphere--composition and chemistry
DE: 1655 Water cycles (1836)
DE: 1863 Snow and ice (1827)
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting