Remote sensing of three-dimensional inhomogeneous cirrus clouds using satellite and mm-wave cloud radar data

Abstract

We have innovated a remote sensing methodology involving the retrieval of three-dimensional ice water content and ice crystal mean size of cirrus clouds based on a unification of satellite and ground-based cloud profiling radar observations. This methodology has been applied to AVHRR/NOAA satellite data and mm-wave cloud radar data obtained from the DOE's ARM program in northern Oklahoma. The three-dimensional cloud parameter fields thus constructed are assessed with ice crystal size distributions independently derived from measurements by optical probes on board the University of North Dakota Citation. The retrieved three-dimensional ice water contents and mean effective ice crystal sizes involving an impressive cirrus cloud occurring on April 18, 1997, are shown to be comparable to those derived from the analysis of collocated and coincident in situ aircraft measurements.