Comparison of stratus cloud properties derived from coincident airborne visible and ground-based infrared spectrometer measurements

Abstract

Results of a remote sensing validation experiment are reported. Above cloud measurements of reflected solar radiation were made with a grating spectrometer, co-incident below cloud measurements of emitted thermal radiation with a FTIR spectrometer. Two remote sensing algorithms based on radiative transfer simulations were employed to retrieve visible optical depths and effective droplet radii. The values derived from both measurements are consistent and indicative for the cloud vertical structure.