Abstract
Optically thin cirrus derived from the Moderate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument is examined in connection with its cloud phase (ice crystal or liquid droplet) for quasi‐single layer thin cirrus (either single‐layer thin cirrus or thin cirrus overlying low‐level thin clouds) over water surface conditions. Analysing 142 MODIS data samples during the period 1–16 March 2000, it is found that only about 20% of MODIS thin cirrus having a total‐column cloud optical depth less than 2.0 was detected as ice phase. In the present study, MODIS cloud phase datasets are newly reproduced by adding the 1.6 μm reflectance to an existing infrared trispectral algorithm of MODIS which used the 8.7, 11 and 12 mm bands. The percentage of ice phase in the thin cirrus is estimated at about 80% when new cloud phase is incorporated. The increase is found for all regions, in particular in mid‐latitudes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4669-4680 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | International Journal of Remote Sensing |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 21 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 10 Nov 2005 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was undertaken for the project Technical Development for Remote Sensing Meteorology and the Communication, Oceanography and Meteorology Satellite funded by the Korean Meteorological Administration. The first author is supported by the BK21 project of the Korean government. The MODIS data were provided by the Earth Observing System Data and Information System, Distributed Active Archive Center, at Goddard Space Flight Center, which archives, manages and distributes these data. The authors especially thank Dr M. D. Chou and Dr H. J. Lutz for support and advice.
Keywords
- 1.6 mm reflectance
- Ice phase
- MODIS cloud
- Thin cirrus