Satellite derived cirrus particle size - Tropical cloudsThe present study extends the earlier work of Wielicki et al. (1990) to examine several cases of tropical cirrus clouds. Particle effective radius is estimated and compared to other studies of cirrus clouds. Particle size and phase are estimated by comparing reflectance observations by the Landsat satellite with theoretical calculations for a range of possible water and ice particle sizes. An examination of effective particle radius for six cases of tropical cirrus clouds over the eastern Pacific Ocean found typical radii of 60 microns. This value is similar to that derived for a case of midlatitude cirrus during the FIRE experiment in October 1986. Particle size is found to increase with decreasing cloud optical depth.
Document ID
19920031282
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Wielicki, Bruce A. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Suttles, John T. (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Parker, Lindsay (NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Arduini, Robert F. (Lockheed Corp. Hampton, VA, United States)