HR: 11:35h
AN: A52A-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Global microphysical retrievals of aerosol and cloud properties with the NPOESS Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor
AU: * Mishchenko, M I
EM: crmim@giss.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 United States
AU: Travis, L D
EM: ltravis@giss.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 United States
AU: Cairns, B
EM: bcairns@giss.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 United States
AU: Cairns, B
EM: bcairns@giss.nasa.gov
AF: Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, 2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 United States
AU: Shettle, E P
EM: shettle@wvms.nrl.navy.mil
AF: Code 7227, Remote Sensing Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AB: Uncertainties in the direct radiative forcing by tropospheric aerosols and in their indirect effects through changes of cloud properties are the main contributors to the uncertainty in the total estimated climate forcing over the past century [J. E. Hansen et al., Science 308, 1431-1435 (2005)]. The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) instrument is being developed for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) to measure the microphysical properties of the atmospheric aerosols and clouds in sufficient detail and accuracy to help reduce these uncertainties. The APS will be a high-precision multi-spectral photopolarimeter which will scan along the sub-orbital track as the satellite passes overhead, thereby providing multiple views of each point along the ground track. The measurements will be made at 8 different wavelengths between 400 and 2400 nm. These measurements will be used to determine the aerosol optical thickness, the effective radius, and the effective variance for both the accumulation and coarse particle modes of a bimodal aerosol size distribution. The real part of the aerosol refractive index and the aerosol single-scattering albedo will also be produced along with a determination of whether or not the aerosol particles are spherical. NASA is planning an early flight for an APS instrument as part of the Glory Mission. Their science requirements are discussed further by Mishchenko et al. [J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 88, 149-161 (2004)]. The APS instrument is scheduled to fly on the first NPOESS platform which will be in a 2130 ascending node polar orbit. The planned APS measurements and the resulting Environmental Data Records (EDRs) will be described.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906)
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005