A21C-3046:
Forward Radiative Transfer Capabilities Facilitating Satellite-based Radiance/Brightness-temperature Observations

Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Ping Yang1, Chao Liu1, Shaima L Nasiri2, Steven E Platnick3, Kerry Meyer4, Chenxi Wang5 and Yifeng Ding2, (1)Texas A&M Univ, College Station, TX, United States, (2)Texas A & M University, College Station, TX, United States, (3)NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States, (4)Universities Space Research Association Greenbelt, Greenbelt, MD, United States, (5)University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, United States
Abstract:
A forward radiative transfer model that is optimal in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency is useful for various sensitivity studies involved in the development of satellite-based atmospheric retrieval algorithms. In this talk, we present a radiance/brightness-temperature simulator that is capable of dealing with multi-layered clouds and aerosols. Numerical implementation of the simulator has been conducted at MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) channels. In the case of ice clouds, the MODIS Collection 6 ice crystal habit model is used to compute the spectrally consistent bulk optical properties of ice clouds. In the simulator, the gaseous absorption is taken inconsideration by using the correlated-K distribution (CKD). In the CKD calculation, the sensor response function is appropriately considered. The simulator is validated in comparison with rigorous line-by-line and discrete ordinate radiative transfer modeling capabilities. Furthermore, the simulations based on the simulator are compared with MODIS and VIIRS observations.