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A statistical examination of Nimbus-7 SMMR data and remote sensing of sea surface temperature, liquid water content in the atmosphere and surface wind speedNimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) brightness temperature measurements over the global oceans have been examined with the help of statistical and empirical techniques. Such analyses show that zonal averages of brightness temperature measured by SMMR over the oceans on a large scale are primarily influenced by the water vapor in the atmosphere. Liquid water in the clouds and rain, which has a much smaller spatial and temporal scale, contributes substantially to the variability of the SMMR measurements within the latitudinal zones. The surface wind not only increases the surface emissivity, but through its interactions with the atmosphere produces correlations in the SMMR brightness temperature data that have significant meteorological implications. It is found that a simple meteorological model can explain the general characteristics of the SMMR data. With the help of this model, methods to infer over the global oceans, the surface temperature, liquid water content in the atmosphere, and surface wind speed are developed. Monthly mean estimates of the sea surface temperature and surface winds are compared with the ship measurements. Estimates of liquid water content in the atmosphere are consistent with earlier satellite measurements. Previously announced in STAR as N83-19187
Document ID
19840040859
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Prabhakara, C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Chang, A. T. C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Gloersen, P.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Wang, I.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt; Computer Sciences Corp., Silver Spring, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1983
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Climate and Applied Meteorology
Volume: 22
ISSN: 0733-3021
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Accession Number
84A23646
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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