VAP : Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE)

Instrument Categories
Aerosols, Radiometric, Cloud Properties

Quicklook plot showing RIPBE liquid cloud effective radius (top) and quality control flags (bottom). For the first half of the day, no cloud data is available so the data are flagged bad (red). During the second half of the day some input data are flagged as indeterminate (yellow) due to precipitation (period around 22:00 UTC) and possible radar clutter (other periods).

The Radiatively Important Parameters Best Estimate (RIPBE) value-added product (VAP) combines multiple input datastreams, each with their own temporal and vertical resolution, to create a complete set of radiatively important parameters on a uniform vertical and temporal grid with quality control and source information for use as input to a radiative transfer model. One of the main drivers for RIPBE was to create input files for the Broadband Heating Rate Profiles (BBHRP) VAP, but we also envision use of RIPBE files for user-run radiative transfer codes, as part of cloud/aerosol retrieval testbeds, and as input to averaged datastreams for model evaluation.

This VAP contains vertical profiles of cloud, aerosol, temperature, and water vapor; band-averaged surface albedo; mixing-ratios of CO2 and other trace gases; and observed surface fluxes at 1-min resolution. Details of the RIPBE procedure, quality control flags, source information, and input and output files can be found in the Technical Report.

The next steps in RIPBE development involve creating two average products – one for climate modelers on the same time grid as the current Climate Model Best Estimate (CMBE) product and another for radiative closure evaluation that will be centered on satellite overpass times.