Editorial Type:
Article
Article Type:
Research Article

Remote Sensing of Ice Water Characteristics in Tropical Clouds Using Aircraft Microwave Measurements

Guosheng Liu Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by Guosheng Liu in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
and
Judith A. Curry Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, and Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by Judith A. Curry in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
Print Publication:
01 Apr 1998
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1998)037<0337:RSOIWC>2.0.CO;2
Page(s):
337–355
Restricted access

Abstract

An ice water path retrieval algorithm, using airborne Millimeter-Wave Imaging Radiometer brightness temperatures at 89, 150, and 220 GHz, is developed for tropical clouds. This algorithm is based on the results of radiative transfer model simulations, using in situ ice particle properties measured from aircraft as model inputs. The scattering signatures at the 150- and 220-GHz channels are the primary inputs into the algorithm, while 89-GHz data are used for determining the nonice background radiation. The ice water path is first calculated from each of the 150- and 220-GHz scattering signatures, and then a combination of the two channels is used for the final retrieval, based on the consideration of the different channel sensitivities to the magnitude of the ice water path. The algorithm is evaluated by comparing the retrieved with in situ measured ice water paths for seven cases observed during the Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). Theoretical analysis shows that the uncertainty due to particle size could be the largest error in the retrievals and this error could be as large as plus or minus 50%. As an application of this algorithm, the ice water path characteristics during TOGA COARE are studied, including assessment of the mean of ice water path, its frequency distribution, and its relationships with cloud-top temperature and liquid water amount. Although tropical clouds are the target of this study, this algorithm could be modified and extended to other climatological regions.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Guosheng Liu, Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Campus Box 429, Boulder, CO 80309-0429.

liug@colorado.edu

Abstract

An ice water path retrieval algorithm, using airborne Millimeter-Wave Imaging Radiometer brightness temperatures at 89, 150, and 220 GHz, is developed for tropical clouds. This algorithm is based on the results of radiative transfer model simulations, using in situ ice particle properties measured from aircraft as model inputs. The scattering signatures at the 150- and 220-GHz channels are the primary inputs into the algorithm, while 89-GHz data are used for determining the nonice background radiation. The ice water path is first calculated from each of the 150- and 220-GHz scattering signatures, and then a combination of the two channels is used for the final retrieval, based on the consideration of the different channel sensitivities to the magnitude of the ice water path. The algorithm is evaluated by comparing the retrieved with in situ measured ice water paths for seven cases observed during the Tropical Oceans Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE). Theoretical analysis shows that the uncertainty due to particle size could be the largest error in the retrievals and this error could be as large as plus or minus 50%. As an application of this algorithm, the ice water path characteristics during TOGA COARE are studied, including assessment of the mean of ice water path, its frequency distribution, and its relationships with cloud-top temperature and liquid water amount. Although tropical clouds are the target of this study, this algorithm could be modified and extended to other climatological regions.

Corresponding author address: Dr. Guosheng Liu, Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Campus Box 429, Boulder, CO 80309-0429.

liug@colorado.edu

Save
Cover Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology
Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology

  • Adler, R. F., A. J. Negri, P. R. Keehn, and I. M. Hakkarinen, 1993: Estimation of monthly rainfall over Japan and surrounding waters from a combination of low-orbit microwave and geosynchronous IR data. J. Appl. Meteor.,32, 335–356.

  • Deeter, M. N., 1997: Millimeter-wave radiometric studies of tropical water vapor variability and ice clouds. M.S. thesis, Dept. of Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Colorado, 34 pp. [Available from Dept. of Astrophysical, Planetary and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309.].

  • Ebert, E. E., and J. A. Curry, 1992: A parameterization of ice cloud optical properties for climate models. J. Geophys. Res.,97, 970–978.

  • Evans, K. F., and G. L. Stephens, 1995a: Microwave radiative transfer through clouds composed of realistically shaped ice crystals. Part I: Single scattering properties. J. Atmos. Sci.,52, 2041–2057.

  • ——, and ——, 1995b: Microwave radiative transfer through clouds composed of realistically shaped ice crystals. Part II: Remote sensing of ice clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,52, 2058–2072.

  • ——, S. J. Walter, A. J. Heymsfield, and M. N. Deeter, 1998: Modeling of submillimeter passive remote sensing of cirrus clouds. J. Appl. Meteor.,37, 184–205.

  • Fu, Q., and K. N. Liou, 1993: Parameterization of the radiative properties of cirrus clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 2008–2025.

  • Grody, N. C., 1991: Classification of snow cover and precipitation using the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I). J. Geophys. Res.,96, 7423–7435.

  • Han, Q., W. B. Rossow, J. Chou, and R. M. Welch, 1996: A near-global survey of cirrus particle size using ISCCP. Preprints, Eighth Conf. on Satellite Meteorology and Oceanography, Atlanta, GA, Amer. Meteor. Soc., 369–371.

  • Heymsfield, A. J., 1993: Microphysical structures of stratiform and cirrus clouds. Aerosol–Cloud–Climate Interactions, P. V. Hobbs, Ed., Academic Press, 97–121.

  • ——, and L. J. Donner, 1990: A scheme for parameterization ice–cloud water content in general circulation models. J. Atmos. Sci.,47, 1865–1877.

  • ——, and G. M. McFarquhar, 1996: On the high albedos of anvil cirrus in the tropical Pacific warm pool: Microphysical interpretations from CEPEX. J. Atmos. Sci.,53, 2401–2423.

  • ——, K. M. Miller, and J. D. Spinhirne, 1990: The 27–28 October 1986 FIRE IFO cirrus case study: Cloud microstructure. Mon. Wea. Rev.,118, 2313–2328.

  • Hobbs, P. V., and A. L. Rango, 1985: Ice particle concentrations in clouds. J. Atmos. Sci.,42, 2523–2549.

  • Inoue, T., 1987: A cloud type classification with NOAA-7 split-window measurements. J. Geophys. Res.,92, 3991–4000.

  • King, M. D., and Coauthors, 1996: Airborne scanning spectrometer for remote sensing of cloud, aerosol, water vapor, and surface properties. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,13, 777–794.

  • Knollenberg, R. G., K. Kelly, and J. C. Wilson, 1993: Measurementsof high number densities of ice crystals in the tops of tropical cumulonimbus. J. Geophys. Res.,98, 8639–8664.

  • Liou, K.-N., 1986: Influence of cirrus clouds on weather and climate processes. Mon. Wea. Rev.,114, 1167–1199.

  • Liu, G., and J. A. Curry, 1993: Determination of the characteristic features of cloud liquid water from satellite microwave measurements. J. Geophys. Res.,98, 5069–5092.

  • ——, and ——, 1996: Large-scale cloud features during January 1993 in the North Atlantic Ocean as determined from SSM/I and SSM/T2 observations. J. Geophys. Res.,101, 7019–7032.

  • ——, and ——, 1997: Precipitation characteristics in Greenland–Iceland–Norwegian Seas determined using satellite microwave data. J. Geophys. Res.,102, 13987–13997.

  • ——, ——, and R.-S. Sheu, 1995: Classification of clouds over the western equatorial Pacific Ocean using combined infrared and microwave satellite data. J. Geophys. Res.,100, 13811–13826.

  • McFarquhar, G. M., and A. J. Heymsfield, 1996: Microphysical characteristics of three cirrus anvils sampled during the Central Equatorial Pacific Experiment (CEPEX). J. Atmos. Sci.,53, 2424–2451.

  • McGaughey, G., and E. J. Zipser, 1995: Brightness temperature variability within simulated 85.5 GHz satellite footprints using TOGA-COARE AMPR data. Tech. Rep., Texas A&M University, 56 pp. [Available from Dept. of Meteorology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3150.].

  • Minnis, P., K. N. Liou, and Y. Takano, 1993a: Inference of cirrus cloud properties from satellite-observed visible and infrared radiances. Part I: Parameterization of radiance fields. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 1279–1304.

  • ——, P. W. Heck, and D. F. Young, 1993b: Inference of cirrus cloud properties from satellite-observed visible and infrared radiances. Part II: Verification of theoretical radiative properties. J. Atmos. Sci.,50, 1305–1322.

  • Petty, G. W., 1994: Physical retrievals of over-ocean rain rate from multichannel microwave imagery. Part II: Algorithm implementation. Meteor. Atmos. Phys.,54, 101–121.

  • Racette, P., R. F. Adler, J. R. Wang, A. J. Gasiewski, D. M. Jackson, and D. S. Zacharias, 1996: An airborne Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer for cloud, precipitation, and atmospheric water vapor studies. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,13, 610–619.

  • Rutledge, S. A., and P. V. Hobbs, 1983: The mesoscale and microscale structure and organization of clouds and precipitation in midlatitude cyclones. VIII: A model for the feeder-seeder process in warm frontal rainbands. J. Atmos. Sci.,40, 1185–1206.

  • Schwartz, M. J., J. W. Barrett, P. W. Fieguth, P. W. Rosenkranz, M. S. Spina, and D. H. Staelin, 1996: Observations of thermal and precipitation structure in a tropical cyclone by means of passive microwave imagery near 118 GHz. J. Appl. Meteor.,35, 671–678.

  • Sheu, R.-S., J. A. Curry, and G. Liu, 1997: Vertical stratification of tropical cloud properties as determined from satellite. J. Geophys. Res.,102, 4231–4245.

  • Smith, E. A., X. Xiang, A. Mugnai, R. E. Hood, and R. W. Spencer, 1994: Behavior of an inversion-based precipitation retrieval algorithm with high-resolution AMPR measurements including a low-frequency 10.7-GHz channel. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,11, 858–873.

  • Spencer, R. W., R. E. Hood, F. J. LaFontaine, E. A. Smith, R. Platt, J. Galliano, V. L. Griffin, and E. Lobal, 1994: High-resolution imaging of rain systems with the Advanced Microwave Precipitation Radiometer. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,11, 849–857.

  • Vivekanandan, J., J. Turk, and V. N. Bringi, 1991: Ice water estimation and characterization using passive microwave radiometry. J. Appl. Meteor.,30, 1407–1421.

  • Wang, J. R., J. Zhan, and P. Racette, 1997: Storm-associated microwave radiometric signatures in the frequency range of 90–220 GHz. J. Atmos. Oceanic Technol.,14, 13–31.

All Time Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 0 0 0
Full Text Views 210 39 2
PDF Downloads 78 28 1