Mapping global sea spray aerosol production with satellite microwave radiometers

Abstract:

We describe early progress of an ongoing effort to develop and validate a new and more accurate methodology for retrieving global source function of sea spray aerosol (SSA) production by utilizing satellite microwave radiometers. This novel approach is based in part on results from recent experiment on-board FLoating Instrument Platform (FLIP), which investigated various remote signatures related to oceanic whitecaps and SSA production. Specifically, a direct empirical relationship was obtained between the production rate of coarse SSA and the degree of polarization of ocean surface microwave emissivity, which has been known to be a sensitive indicator of the state of the ocean interface. This new project seeks to incorporate the new empirical relationship into an existing radiative model of the ocean surface, and thus add the SSA source term to the list of variables retrieved by satellite microwave radiometers, such as Windsat and GMI. Validation of the resulting global product (SSA production) is to be conducted within the Navy Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System, where the performance of the new source term, as well as the traditional wind speed based term will be tested against global aerosol observations.