AIRS Single Field of View Cloud Detection and Cloud Property Retrieval

A great need exists amongst X-band direct broadcast regional users for near real-time, high spatial resolution cloud detection and cloud property retrieval to support regional interdisciplinary applications. As part of the International MODIS and AIRS Processing Package (IMAPP), the objective treatment of spatial and spectral information, including principal component and residual techniques, is provided by the AIRS single field of view clear and cloud detection and cloud property retrieval algorithm. This algorithm, known as Minimum Local Emissivity Variance (MLEV), is used to retrieve both cloud height and cloud spectral emissivity. The ECMWF model analysis is used to demonstrate that high quality clear radiances can improve the yield and quality of cloud spectral emissivity and height, quantities that are precursors to retrieving cloud micro-physical properties and cloudy sounding profiles. In this paper we describe in detail the procedure employed to achieve this goal. The use of cloud spectral emissivity and height in retrieving cloud micro-physical properties is discussed together with their utility in identifying cloud contaminated soundings in the IMAPP AIRS only single field of view retrieval.