Iterative inverse radiative transfer method to estimate optical thickness and surface albedo

The retrieval of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from remotely-sensed data relies on the adopted aerosol model. However, the method of this technique has been rather limited because of the high variability of the surface albedo, in addition to the spatial variability in the aerosol properties over the land surfaces. To overcome unsolved problems, we proposed a method for the visibility-derived AOT estimation from SKYNET-based measurement and daytime satellite images with a custom aerosol model over the Chiba area (35.62° N, 140.10° E), which is located in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area in Japan. Different from conventionally-used aerosol models for the boundary layer, we created a custom aerosol model by using sky-radiometer observation data of aerosol volume size distribution and refractive indices, coupled with spectral response functions (SPFs) of satellite visible bands to alleviate the wide range of path-scattered radiance. We utilized the radiative transfer code 6S to implement the radiative transfer calculation based on the created custom aerosol model. The concurrent data from ground-based measurement are used in the radiative analysis, namely the temporal variation of AOT from SKYNET. The radiative estimation conducted under clear-sky conditions with minimum aerosol loading is used for the determination of the surface albedo, so that the 6S simulation yields a well-defined relation between total radiance and surface albedo. We made look-up tables (LUTs) pixel-by-pixel over the Chiba area for the custom aerosol model to retrieve the satellite AOT distribution based on the surface albedo. Therefore, such a reference of surface albedo generated from clear-sky conditions, in turn, can be employed to retrieve the spatial distribution of AOT on both clear and relatively turbid days. The value for the AOTs retrieved using the custom aerosol model is found to be stable than conventionally-used typical aerosol models, indicating that our method yields substantially better performance.

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Influence of local surface albedo variability and ice crystal shape on passive remote sensing of thin cirrus

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics ◽

10.5194/acp-14-1943-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 1943-1958 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

C. Fricke ◽

A. Ehrlich ◽

E. Jäkel ◽

B. Bohn ◽

M. Wirth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Thickness ◽

Surface Albedo ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Effective Radius ◽

High Spectral Resolution ◽

Spectral Radiance ◽

Crystal Shape ◽

Frequency Distributions ◽

Airborne Measurements ◽

Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Abstract. Airborne measurements of solar spectral radiance reflected by cirrus are performed with the HALO-Solar Radiation (HALO-SR) instrument onboard the High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft (HALO) in November 2010. The data are used to quantify the influence of surface albedo variability on the retrieval of cirrus optical thickness and crystal effective radius. The applied retrieval of cirrus optical properties is based on a standard two-wavelength approach utilizing measured and simulated reflected radiance in the visible and near-infrared spectral region. Frequency distributions of the surface albedos from Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite observations are used to compile surface-albedo-dependent lookup tables of reflected radiance. For each assumed surface albedo the cirrus optical thickness and effective crystal radius are retrieved as a function of the assumed surface albedo. The results for the cirrus optical thickness are compared to measurements from the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL). The uncertainty in cirrus optical thickness due to local variability of surface albedo in the specific case study investigated here is below 0.1 and thus less than that caused by the measurement uncertainty of both instruments. It is concluded that for the retrieval of cirrus optical thickness the surface albedo variability is negligible. However, for the retrieval of crystal effective radius, the surface albedo variability is of major importance, introducing uncertainties up to 50%. Furthermore, the influence of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) on the retrieval of crystal effective radius was investigated and quantified with uncertainties below 10%, which ranges below the uncertainty caused by the surface albedo variability. The comparison with the independent lidar data allowed for investigation of the role of the crystal shape in the retrieval. It is found that if assuming aggregate ice crystals, the HSRL observations fit best with the retrieved optical thickness from HALO-SR.

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A Parametric Numerical Study of Radiative Transfer in Thermotropic Materials

Volume 1: Heat Transfer in Energy Systems; Thermophysical Properties; Theory and Fundamental Research in Heat Transfer ◽

10.1115/ht2013-17183 ◽

2013 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Adam C. Gladen ◽

Susan C. Mantell ◽

Jane H. Davidson

Keyword(s):

Particle Size ◽

Radiative Transfer ◽

Optical Thickness ◽

Parametric Study ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Numerical Study ◽

Anisotropic Scattering ◽

Index Of Refraction ◽

Spherical Particles ◽

Size Parameter

A thermotropic material is modeled as an absorbing, thin slab containing anisotropic scattering, monodisperse, spherical particles. Monte Carlo ray tracing is used to solve the governing equation of radiative transfer. Predicted results are validated by comparison to the measured normal-hemispherical reflectance and transmittance of samples with various volume fraction and relative index of refraction. A parametric study elucidates the effects of particle size parameter, scattering albedo, and optical thickness on the normal-hemispherical transmittance, reflectance, and absorptance. The results are interpreted for a thermotropic material used for overheat protection of a polymer solar absorber. For the preferred particle size parameter of 2, the optical thickness should be less than 0.3 to ensure high transmittance in the clear state. To significantly reduce the transmittance and increase the reflectance in the translucent state, the optical thickness should be greater than 2.5 and the scattering albedo should be greater than 0.995. For optical thickness greater than 5, the reflectance is asymptotic and any further reduction in transmittance is through increased absorptance. A case study is used to illustrate how the parametric study can be used to guide the design of thermotropic materials. Low molecular weighted polyethylene in poly(methyl methacrylate) is identified as a potential thermotropic material. For this material and a particle radius of 200 nm, it is determined that the volume fraction and thickness should equal 10% and 1 mm, respectively.

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Consistent retrieval of cloud/aerosol single scattering properties and surface reflectance

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-12608 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marta Luffarelli ◽

Yves Govaerts

Keyword(s):

Radiative Transfer ◽

Optical Thickness ◽

Solution Space ◽

Single Scattering ◽

Aerosol Optical Thickness ◽

Radiative Transfer Model ◽

Transfer Model ◽

Surface Reflectance ◽

Earth System ◽

System Components

The CISAR (Combined Inversion of Surface and AeRosols) algorithm is exploited in the framework of the ESA Aerosol Climate Change Initiatiave (CCI) project, aiming at providing a set of atmospheric (cloud and aerosol) and surface reflectance products derived from S3A/SLSTR observations using the same radiative transfer physics and assumptions. CISAR is an advance algorithm developed by Rayference originally designed for the retrieval of aerosol single scattering properties and surface reflectance from both geostationary and polar orbiting satellite observations. &#160;It is based on the inversion of a fast radiative transfer model (FASTRE). The retrieval mechanism allows a continuous variation of the aerosol and cloud single scattering properties in the solution space.&#160;Traditionally, different approaches are exploited to retrieve the different Earth system components, which could lead to inconsistent data sets. The simultaneous retrieval of different atmospheric and surface variables over any type of surface (including bright surfaces and water bodies) with the same forward model and inversion scheme ensures the consistency among the retrieved Earth system components. Additionally, pixels located in the transition zone between pure clouds and pure aerosols are often discarded from both cloud and aerosol algorithms. This &#8220;twilight zone&#8221; can cover up to 30% of the globe. A consistent retrieval of both cloud and aerosol single scattering properties with the same algorithm could help filling this gap.&#160;The CISAR algorithm aims at overcoming the need of an external cloud mask, discriminating internally between aerosol and cloud properties. This approach helps reducing the overestimation of aerosol optical thickness in cloud contaminated pixels. The surface reflectance product is delivered both for cloud-free and cloudy observations. &#160;&#160;Global maps obtained from the processing of S3A/SLSTR observations will be shown. The SLSTR/CISAR products over events such as, for instance, the Australian fire in the last months of 2019, will be discussed in terms of aerosol optical thickness, aerosol-cloud discrimination and fine/coarse mode fraction.

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Applying the OSS radiative transfer method to MODTRAN

10.1117/12.666082 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

Hilary E. Snell ◽

Thomas Connor ◽

Svetlan Bzenic ◽

T. Scott Zaccheo

Keyword(s):

Radiative Transfer ◽

Transfer Method

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Computational efficiency improvements of the radiative transfer problems with or without conduction––a comparison of the collapsed dimension method and the discrete transfer method

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer ◽

10.1016/s0017-9310(03)00075-9 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 46 (16) ◽

pp. 3083-3095 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Subhash C. Mishra ◽

Prabal Talukdar ◽

D. Trimis ◽

Franz Durst

Keyword(s):

Radiative Transfer ◽

Computational Efficiency ◽

Transfer Method ◽

Transfer Problems

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Fast approximate radiative transfer method for visualizing the fine structure of prominences in the hydrogen Hαline

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201525716 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 579 ◽

pp. A16 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

P. Heinzel ◽

S. Gunár ◽

U. Anzer

Keyword(s):

Fine Structure ◽

Radiative Transfer ◽

Transfer Method

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Radiative forcing over the Arctic of aerosols from the August 2017 Canadian and Greenlandic wildfires

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-7405 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Filippo Calì Quaglia ◽

Daniela Meloni ◽

Alcide Giorgio di Sarra ◽

Tatiana Di Iorio ◽

Virginia Ciardini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radiative Transfer ◽

Radiative Forcing ◽

Solar Zenith Angle ◽

Surface Albedo ◽

High Arctic ◽

The Arctic ◽

Radiative Transfer Model ◽

Transfer Model ◽

Aerosol Layer ◽

Radiative Effect

Extended and intense wildfires occurred in Northern Canada and, unexpectedly, on the Greenlandic West coast during summer 2017. The thick smoke plume emitted into the atmosphere was transported to the high Arctic, producing one of the largest impacts ever observed in the region. Evidence of Canadian and Greenlandic wildfires was recorded at the Thule High Arctic Atmospheric Observatory (THAAO, 76.5&#176;N, 68.8&#176;W, www.thuleatmos-it.it) by a suite of instruments managed by ENEA, INGV, Univ. of Florence, and NCAR. Ground-based observations of the radiation budget have allowed quantification of the surface radiative forcing at THAAO.&#160;Excess biomass burning chemical tracers such as CO, HCN, H2CO, C2H6, and NH3 were&#160; measured in the air column above Thule starting from August 19 until August 23. The aerosol optical depth (AOD) reached a peak value of about 0.9 on August 21, while an enhancement of wildfire compounds was&#160; detected in PM10. The measured shortwave radiative forcing was -36.7 W/m2 at 78&#176; solar zenith angle (SZA) for AOD=0.626.MODTRAN6.0 radiative transfer model (Berk et al., 2014) was used to estimate the aerosol radiative effect and the heating rate profiles at 78&#176; SZA. Measured temperature profiles, integrated water vapour, surface albedo, spectral AOD and aerosol extinction profiles from CALIOP onboard CALIPSO were used as model input. The peak&#160; aerosol heating rate (+0.5 K/day) was&#160; reached within the aerosol layer between 8 and 12 km, while the maximum radiative effect (-45.4 W/m2) is found at 3 km, below the largest aerosol layer.The regional impact of the event that occurred on August 21 was investigated using a combination of atmospheric radiative transfer modelling with measurements of AOD and ground surface albedo from MODIS. The aerosol properties used in the radiative transfer model were constrained by in situ measurements from THAAO. Albedo data over the ocean have been obtained from Jin et al. (2004). Backward trajectories produced through HYSPLIT simulations (Stein et al., 2015) were also employed to trace biomass burning plumes.The radiative forcing efficiency (RFE) over land and ocean was derived, finding values spanning from -3 W/m2 to -132 W/m2, depending on surface albedo and solar zenith angle. The fire plume covered a vast portion of the Arctic, with large values of the daily shortwave RF (< -50 W/m2) lasting for a few days. This large amount of aerosol is expected to influence cloud properties in the Arctic, producing significant indirect radiative effects.

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