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The Comparison Between MOD06 Cloud Products and the ARM SGP

Zhang, Y.(a) and Mace, G.G.(b), University of Utah (a), University of Utah (b)
Thirteenth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Science Team Meeting

Clouds, especially cirrus clouds, are critical for us to better understand the characterization of radiative processes in the atmosphere which is widely recognized as a major source of uncertainty in the earth's climate. The MODIS instrument on board the flagship satellite, TERRA, of the Earth Observing System has been collecting long-term global data since August 2000. TERRA has been monitored when it passes close to the ARM sites. Cloud retrieval algorithms have been developed to retrieve cloud microphysical and optical properties from the ground-based data observed at the ARM sites. In order to improve space-time correlation between the observations, we use data from the Lamont 404 MHz wind profiler (36.60N 97.50W; 11km from the ARM SGP site) to follow the cloud track, and cloud properties for one hour are compared between MOD06 cloud products and the ARM SGP observation for individual cirrus cloud and stratus cloud cases. At the same time, statistical comparison of optically thin cirrus clouds is also presented. These comparisons are to ascertain the general agreement between the algorithms.

Note: This is the poster abstract presented at the meeting; an extended version was not provided by the author(s).