Atmospheric Radiative Transfer for Satellite Remote Sensing: Validation and Uncertainty

My presentation will begin with the discussion of the Intercomparison of three-dimensional (3D) Radiative Codes (13RC) project that has been started in 1997. I will highlight the question of how well the atmospheric science community can solve the 3D radiative transfer equation. Initially I3RC was focused only on algorithm intercomparison; now it has acquired a broader identity providing new insights and creating new community resources for 3D radiative transfer calculations. Then I will switch to satellite remote sensing. Almost all radiative transfer calculations for satellite remote sensing are one-dimensional (1D) assuming (i) no variability inside a satellite pixel and (ii) no radiative interactions between pixels. The assumptions behind the 1D approach will be checked using cloud and aerosol data measured by the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board of two NASA satellites TERRA and AQUA. In the discussion, I will use both analysis technique: statistical analysis over large areas and time intervals, and single scene analysis to validate how well the 1D radiative transfer equation describes radiative regime in cloudy atmospheres.