The response of the SSM/I to the marine environment. Part I: an analytic model for the atmospheric component of observed brightness temperatures

Abstract

A comprehensive closed-form parameterization has been developed for the contribution of the nonprecipitating marine atmosphere to microwave brightness temperatures observed by the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I). The variables considered in this model include viewing angle, integrated water vapor amount and scale height, effective tropospheric lapse rate and near-surface temperature, total cloud liquid water, effective cloud height, and surface pressure. -from Authors