Atmospheric Remote Sensing in Arctic Regions

The particular features which must be considered when sensing arctic regions from space platforms include a generally dry atmosphere, thin and low water content clouds which often cover large areas, a highly reflective snow or ice background in the visible spectrum, and weak thermal contrast between...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Felde,Gerald W, Bunting,James T, Hardy,Kenneth R
Other Authors: AIR FORCE GEOPHYSICS LAB HANSCOM AFB MA
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1986
Subjects:
Atmospheric Physics
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Infrared Detection and Detectors
*MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
*REMOTE DETECTORS
*CLOUD PHYSICS
*ARCTIC REGIONS
THERMAL PROPERTIES
ALGORITHMS
FREQUENCY
REPRINTS
CLOUDS
TEMPERATURE
CONTRAST
GLOBAL
LIQUIDS
PARAMETERS
WATER
ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE
METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITES
MOISTURE CONTENT
SURFACES
PROFILES
ICE
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SCALE
INFORMATION RETRIEVAL
BACKGROUND
VISIBLE SPECTRA
INFRARED DETECTORS
THINNESS
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
DISCRIMINATION
SURFACE TEMPERATURE
LOW STRENGTH
NEAR INFRARED RADIATION
LAND AREAS
MULTISPECTRAL
WATER VAPOR
SEA ICE
ATMOSPHERIC SOUNDING
SPACE BASED
PE62101F
WUAFGL66701705
Arctic
Ice
permafrost
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA179550
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA179550
Description
Summary:The particular features which must be considered when sensing arctic regions from space platforms include a generally dry atmosphere, thin and low water content clouds which often cover large areas, a highly reflective snow or ice background in the visible spectrum, and weak thermal contrast between snow and cloud in the thermal infrared spectrum. In recent years, more attention has been given to the problem of identifying clouds in arctic regions. An investigation of operational cloud analysis programs for arctic regions has been initiated; results from this study have shown that clouds are often specified in regions which turn out to be generally cloud-free and vice versa. Some possible reasons for this error will be presented. Results of discriminating clouds from a snow background using multi spectral visible and near Infrared sensors will also be given. A new Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) operating at four frequencies from 19 to 85 GHz is designed to provide estimates of several surface and atmospheric characteristics. Several parameters which will be estimated from SSM/I data are of particular interest to arctic regions. These include snow parameters, sea ice attributes, cloud amount over snow, cloud liquid water content, soil moisture, and land surface temperature. As an example of parameter retrieval from SSM/I data, the basis for estimating cloud amount over a snow surface will be discussed. Retrieval algorithms have been developed which lead to temperature profiles on a global scale. In addition, a microwave system operating in the 183 GHz water absorption band is being developed which will provide estimates of water vapor profiles. Presented at the DoD Symposium and Workshop on Arctic and Arctic-Related Environmental Sciences, p1-8 1986.

Similar Items