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Multispectral Cloud Retrievals from MODIS on Terra and AquaThe Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) was developed by NASA and launched onboard the Terra spacecraft on December 18, 1999 and the Aqua spacecraft on April 26, 2002. MODIS scans a swath width sufficient to provide nearly complete global coverage every two days from each polar-orbiting, sun-synchronous, platform at an altitude of 705 km, and provides images in 36 spectral bands between 0.415 and 14.235 microns with spatial resolutions of 250 m (2 bands), 500 m (5 bands) and 1000 m (29 bands). In this paper we will describe the various methods being used for the remote sensing of cloud properties using MODIS data, focusing primarily on the MODIS cloud mask used to distinguish clouds, clear sky, heavy aerosol, and shadows on the ground, and on the remote sensing of cloud optical properties, especially cloud optical thickness and effective radius of water drops and ice crystals. Additional properties of clouds derived from multispectral thermal infrared measurements, especially cloud top pressure and emissivity, will also be described. Results will be presented of MODIS cloud properties both over the land and over the ocean, showing the consistency in cloud retrievals over various ecosystems used in the retrievals. The implications of this new observing system on global analysis of the Earth's environment will be discussed.
Document ID
20030025370
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
King, Michael D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Platnick, Steven
(Maryland Univ. Baltimore County Catonsville, MD, United States)
Ackerman, Steven A.
(Wisconsin Univ.)
Menzel, W. Paul
(National Environmental Satellite Service Boulder, CO, United States)
Gray, Mark A.
(Communications)
Moody, Eric G.
(Communications)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Meeting Information
Meeting: SPIE 2002: Optical Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere and Clouds III
Location: Hangzhou
Country: China
Start Date: October 23, 2002
End Date: October 27, 2002
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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