Article

 

Degree of ice particle surface roughness inferred from polarimetric observations Public Deposited

https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/articles/r207tq11v
Abstract
  • The degree of surface roughness of ice particles within thick, cold ice clouds is inferred from multi-directional, multi-spectral satellite polarimetric observations over oceans, assuming a column-aggregate particle habit. An improved roughness inference scheme is employed that provides a more noise-resilient roughness estimate than the conventional best-fit approach. The improvements include the introduction of a quantitative roughness parameter based on empirical orthogonal function analysis and proper treatment of polarization due to atmospheric scattering above clouds. A global 1-month data sample supports the use of a severely roughened ice habit to simulate the polarized reflectivity associated with ice clouds over ocean. The density distribution of the roughness parameter inferred from the global 1-month data sample and further analyses of a few case studies demonstrate the significant variability of ice cloud single-scattering properties. However, the present theoretical results do not agree with observations in the tropics. In the extratropics, the roughness parameter is inferred but 74 % of the sample is out of the expected parameter range. Potential improvements are discussed to enhance the depiction of the natural variability on a global scale.
Creator
Date Issued
  • 2016-06-21
Academic Affiliation
Journal Title
Journal Issue/Number
  • 12
Journal Volume
  • 16
File Extent
  • 7545-7558
Dernière modification
  • 2019-12-09
Resource Type
Déclaration de droits
DOI
ISSN
  • 1680-7316
Language

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