A Long-Term Cloud Albedo Data Record Since 1980 from UV Satellite Sensors

• Published in: Remote Sensing
• Main Authors: Clark J. Weaver, Dong L. Wu, Pawan K. Bhartia, Gordon J. Labow, David P. Haffner
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020
• Subjects: SBUV; OMPS; cloud albedo; diurnal cycle; cloud feedback; ENSO; Science; Q; Antarctic; Greenland; Munk; Antarc*; North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12121982; https://doaj.org/article/51597360f3664dd8a4140836b099d20c

Black-sky cloud albedo (BCA) is derived from satellite UV 340 nm observations from NOAA and NASA satellites to infer long-term (1980–2018) shortwave cloud albedo variations induced by volcano eruptions, the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, and decadal warming. While the UV cloud albedo has shown no long-term trend since 1980, there are statistically significant reductions over the North Atlantic and over the marine stratocumulus decks off the coast of California; increases in cloud albedo can be seen over Southeast Asia and over cloud decks off the coast of South America. The derived BCA assumes a C-1 water cloud model with varying cloud optical depths and a Cox–Munk surface BRDF over the ocean, using radiances calibrated over the East Antarctic Plateau and Greenland ice sheets during summer.