Infrared radiative transfer modelling in a 3D scattering cloudy atmosphere: Application to limb sounding measurements of cirrus

The Monte Carlo cloud scattering forward model (McClouds_FM) has been developed to simulate limb radiative transfer in the presence of cirrus clouds, for the purposes of simulating cloud contaminated measurements made by an infrared limb sounding instrument, e.g. the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS). A reverse method three-dimensional Monte Carlo transfer model is combined with a line-by-line model for radiative transfer through the non-cloudy atmosphere to explicitly account for the effects of multiple scattering by the clouds. The ice cloud microphysics are characterised by a size distribution of randomly oriented ice crystals, with the single scattering properties of the distribution determined by accurate calculations accounting for non-spherical habit.A comparison of McClouds_FM simulations and real MIPAS spectra of cirrus shows good agreement. Of particular interest are several noticeable spectral features (i.e. H₂O absorption lines) in the data that are replicated in the simulations: these can only be explained by upwelling tropospheric radiation scattered into the line-of-sight by the cloud ice particles.     

三波长激光雷达拟合卷云的粒子形状

卷云在全球出现的概率可达30%,其散射特性在气候模式、光辐射传输和遥感领域都具有非常重要的意义。卷云的散射特性主要由冰晶粒子形状、尺度谱、折射率等因素所决定。利用355, 532和1 064 nm三个波长激光雷达数据反演卷云的后向散射系数颜色比,利用模拟计算获得不同形状冰晶粒子的卷云在上述三个波长上的后向散射系数颜色比,通过拟合得出被测卷云的冰晶粒子形状。拟合结果表明,合肥上空卷云中冰晶粒子大部分可能呈聚合物状。     

On similarity and scaling of the radiative transfer equation

The present paper shows how the well-known similarity and scaling concepts are properties of the radiative transfer equation and not specifically of the degree of anisotropy of the phase function. It is shown that the key assumption regarding the angular dependence of the radiative field is essential in determining both the value for the parameter used to scale the radiative transfer, as well as the number of streams used in calculating the radiances for various atmospheric problems. Simulations performed on realistic type of cirrus clouds, characterized by strongly anisotropic functions, demonstrates the superior computational advantage for accurately simulating radiances. A new approach for determining the scaling parameter is introduced.     

卷云短波反射特性的模拟计算研究

利用通用大气辐射传输(CART)软件模拟计算了0.4～2.5μm波段卷云大气反射率,分析了卷云大气的反射率随波长、光学厚度、有效尺度、卷云高度和地表类型变化情况,并模拟计算了0.55,1.38,2.75μm波段卷云大气反射率间关系。结果表明,可见光到近红外波段,卷云大气反射率随卷云光学厚度的增大而增大。可见光波段,卷云大气反射率随卷云粒子有效尺度变化很小;近红外波段,卷云大气的反射率随卷云粒子有效尺度增大而减小;近红外大气强吸收波段,卷云大气的反射率随卷云高度的增大而增大。大气窗口区卷云大气的反射率随地表类型的变化有显著的变化。通过0.55μm和2.75μm波段,1.38μm和2.75μm波段的卷云大气反射率间关系可以反演卷云光学厚度和有效尺度。     

卷云短波红外辐射特性

 采用离散纵标法耦合大气分子吸收，模拟计算了卷云大气的反射特性。研究了在短波波段卷云辐射性质随波长、卷云光学厚度、卷云有效尺度、云高和卷云中冰晶粒子形状等的变化关系，分析了卷云对大气红外背景辐射的影响。结果表明：在2.7 μm的水汽强吸收带上，卷云的出现明显增强了该波段的大气背景辐射，反射率随光学厚度和云高增大而增大。     

Photon conservation in scattering by large ice crystals with the SASKTRAN radiative transfer model

The scattering of visible light by ice crystals and dust in radiative transfer models is challenging in part due to the large amount of scattering in the forward direction. We introduce a technique that ensures numerical conservation of photons in any radiative transfer model and that quantifies the integration error associated with highly asymmetric phase functions. When applied to a successive-orders of scatter model, the technique illustrates the high accuracy obtained in numerical integration of molecular and aerosol scattering. As well, a phase function truncation and renormalization technique is applied to scattering by ice crystals with very large size parameters, between 100 and 1000, and the scaled radiative transfer equation is solved with the spherical successive-orders model, SASKTRAN. Since computations shown this work are performed in a fully spherical model atmosphere, the computed radiances are not subject to the discontinuity at the horizon that is inherent in models using a plane–parallel assumption. The methods introduced in this work are of particular interest in modeling limb radiances in the presence of thin cirrus clouds.     

Retrieval of tropospheric NO2 columns from satellite measurements in presence of cirrus: A theoretical sensitivity study using SCIATRAN and prospect application for the A-Train

A theoretical sensitivity study of the influence of cirrus cloud properties on tropospheric NO₂ columns retrieved from the spaceborne Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements is performed. It is conducted within the framework of the synergetic use of A-Train sensors to derive more representative trace gas products. We aim to study the potential effects of cirrus clouds on tropospheric NO₂ retrievals using a retrieval algorithm that, unlike the OMI Standard and DOMINO algorithms, does not correct for the effects of clouds. The sensitivity study is based on the radiative transfer code SCIATRAN that performs both simulations of top of atmosphere (TOA) reflectances as measured by an OMI-like band and tropospheric NO₂ column retrievals based on the differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) method. The results of the sensitivity study show that if a correction for cirrus clouds is not included in our simple retrieval that does not account for clouds in the first place, the tropospheric column can be underestimated by 55%. This underestimation depends strongly on cirrus parameters as, in order of importance, cloud fraction, cloud optical depth, asymmetry factor of cirrus cloud phase function and cloud top height. The perspective of the synergy between OMI and cloud information obtained from cloud-derived products of the A-Train is evaluated in two parts by applying a simple cloud correction scheme based on the independent pixel approximation (IPA). Firstly, we evaluated the tropospheric NO₂ column retrievals error caused by uncertainties in cirrus cloud properties. Secondly we studied the influence of subpixel cloud optical depth variability on NO₂ retrievals. From our simulations, it is demonstrated that the error will be reduced significantly if the cloud fraction is lower or equal to 0.5. In this case, the cloud fraction and the cloud optical depth must be known within accuracy less than 0.05% and 50%, respectively. The cloud top height and the asymmetry factor must be known within uncertainty of at least 1 km and less than 0.05, respectively. The latter result shows that the uncertainty of the asymmetry factor is a major source of error in the cloud correction for tropospheric NO₂ retrieval in the presence of cirrus.     

太赫兹波被动遥感卷云微物理参数的敏感性试验分析

太赫兹波长和典型卷云的冰晶粒子尺度处于同一量级,其在遥感卷云微物理参数(粒子尺度和冰水路径)方面具有广阔的应用前景.为了评估卷云微物理参数对太赫兹波传输特性的影响及其在太赫兹波段的敏感性,基于大气辐射传输模式分别模拟计算了晴空和有云条件下大气层顶的太赫兹辐射光谱特征,分析了这两种条件下辐射亮温差值的特点,研究了卷云冰晶粒子形状、粒子尺度及冰水路径对太赫兹辐射传输特性的影响,并定量计算了相关敏感系数.结果表明:卷云冰晶粒子形状、粒子尺度、冰水路径等对太赫兹波传输特性均有不同程度的影响,卷云效应也因通道频率而异,太赫兹波对卷云的粒子尺度和冰水路径有较高的敏感性,是理论上被动遥感卷云微物理特性的最佳波段.研究结果对于进一步发展太赫兹波被动遥感卷云技术、提高卷云参数的反演精度具有重要意义.     

Representation of the photon pathlength distribution in a cloudy atmosphere using finite elements

A new method to derive the photon pathlength probability density function with respect to the photon geometrical path (PDF-GP) is proposed in this paper. This method is based on a finite elements fit of the true PDF-GP using a step function with equidistant intervals. The new method is evaluated based on reference PDF-GPs derived via Monte-Carlo radiative transfer simulations for different single and multilayer clouds with and without surface albedo. The finite elements method was found to perform better than classical Laplace inversion techniques. For the case of two-layer clouds with a thin cirrus cloud (optical thickness 0.5) above a low-level cloud, it is shown that the finite elements method is able to separate the contribution of both cloud layers to the total radiance and, in principle, allows to simultaneously infer cloud top heights of both cloud layers given that enough independent radiance observations at different gas absorption optical depths are taken.     

Optical properties of mixed phase boundary layer clouds observed from a tethered balloon platform in the Arctic

A tethered balloon system was used to collect data on radiometric and cloud microphysical properties for mixed phase boundary layer clouds, consisting of ice crystals and liquid water droplets during a May–June 2008 experimental campaign in Ny-Ålesund, Norway, located high in the Arctic at 78.9°N, 11.9°E. The balloon instrumentation was controlled and powered from the ground making it possible to fly for long durations and to profile clouds vertically in a systematic manner. We use a radiative transfer model to analyze the radiometric measurements and estimate the optical properties of mixed-phase clouds. The results demonstrate the ability of instruments deployed on a tethered balloon to provide information about optical properties of mixed-phase clouds in the Arctic. Our radiative transfer simulations show that cloud layering has little impact on the total downward irradiance measured at the ground as long as the total optical depth remains unchanged. In contrast, the mean intensity measured by an instrument deployed on a balloon depends on the vertical cloud structure and is thus sensitive to the altitude of the balloon. We use the total downward irradiance measured by a ground-based radiometer to estimate the total optical depth and the mean intensity measured at the balloon to estimate the vertical structure of the cloud optical depth.     

Stochastic radiative transfer in multilayer broken clouds. Part I: Markovian approach

A two-part paper describes the statistical treatment of solar radiative transfer in multilayer broken clouds. The proposed approach is a logical development of the statistical ones originally suggested for a single-layer broken clouds. This first part introduces a new statistically inhomogeneous Markovian model that allows one to properly account for different combinations of the random and maximum overlap of broken clouds at distinct vertical layers. The statistically inhomogeneous Markovian model and the stochastic radiative transfer equation have been used to derive equations for the mean radiance of solar radiation. It was demonstrated that in extreme cases the obtained equations agree with corresponding equations previously derived for (i) the statistically homogeneous broken clouds and (ii) the vertically inhomogeneous overcast clouds.     

卷云多角度偏振特性研究

由各种形状冰晶粒子组成的卷云,对全球辐射平衡和气候变化有重要的影响,其影响程度取决于卷云本身的微物理特性和光学特性,如冰晶粒子形状、卷云光学厚度和云顶压强等.在对0.865μm波长处卷云光学特性研究的基础上,采用矢量辐射传输方程模拟分析了含卷云层的总反射率和偏振反射率,并利用卫星观测数据验证了模拟结果.分析研究了卷云微物理特征、光学特征和地表反照率对总反射率和偏振反射率的影响.分析表明,可以综合利用多角度偏振遥感信息反演各种卷云参数.这为利用多角度偏振遥感数据反演卷云各参数提供了理论基础. 关键词： 卷云微物理特征 卷云光学特性 多角度偏振辐射 矢量辐射传输方程     

可见光波段卷云散射特性的研究

卷云一般分布在对流层上部到平流层下部,主要由各种形状的冰晶粒子组成。卷云散射特性的研究利用了前期建立的单个冰晶粒子散射性质数据库,并且假定卷云中粒子谱分布符合Г分布,计算得出可见光波段卷云平均散射性质：消光效率因子、吸收效率因子、单次散射反照率、非对称因子与有效尺度以及波长的变化关系。其次对计算得出的变化曲线进行分析得...     

激光在准球形边界卷云中传输的衰减和透过特性

高空卷云主要由各种不同形状的冰晶粒子组成,是地空链路上激光信号传输的重要影响因素。依据高空卷云中冰晶粒子的分布特征和散射特性,采用C版本的离散纵标法（CDISORT）,充分考虑地球球形曲率及云层冰晶粒子多次散射影响因素,研究准球形边界云层的激光透过率和衰减特性,并比较了太阳天顶角不同时平面平行模式和准球面模式下卷云大气激光透过率的差异,数值计算了三种激光波长（0.65,1.06和3.8 μm）在卷云中传输时的衰减和透过特性。计算结果表明：较小太阳天顶角（小于80°）入射时,两种模式下卷云大气激光透过率相对误差很小,其中0.65 μm激光波长入射时两种模式下的相对误差仅为1.72%,较大太阳天顶角（大于80°）入射时,两种模式下卷云大气激光透过率相对误差明显增大,0.65 μm激光波长入射时两种模式下的相对误差最大达到69%;卷云粒子单次散射时,激光在云层的衰减与卷云粒子有效半径、传输距离、光学厚度及激光波长等因素有关,随光学厚度的增加,云层的激光透过率减少,1.06 μm激光波长入射时透过率最大,3.8 μm激光波长入射时透过率最小;0.65和1.06 μm激光波长入射时,随云层粒子有效半径的增加激光透过率逐渐增加,而3.8 μm波长激光,随云层粒子有效半径的增加激光透过率逐渐减少,随相对方位角的增加,云层的激光透过率减少,且不同卷云传输模型对激光透过率也存在不同的影响。该研究工作将为开展地空链路星载、机载激光通信、激光雷达探测等工程系统中的激光信号云层传输特性的应用提供理论支持,同时也可进一步拓展为地空链路激光遥感、制导和预警等应用提供预先理论研究基础。     

Temperature dependence of ice optical constants: Implications for simulating the single-scattering properties of cold ice clouds

For a spectrum from ultraviolet to microwave and a temperature range from 160 to 270 K, the optical constants of water ice are compiled on the basis of the Kramers-Kronig relation in conjunction with existing datasets reported in literature. Significant temperature dependence is observed in both the mid-infrared and longer wavelengths. A sensitivity study at wavelengths in the infrared split window region indicates that the temperature dependence of the single-scattering properties of ice crystals is not negligible. Thus, it is necessary to take into account the temperature dependence of ice optical constants when simulating the radiative properties of cirrus clouds for various applications to remote sensing under cirrus cloud conditions.     

污染云团红外辐射传输模型与红外光谱的计算机仿真

针对建立的三层结构污染云团红外辐射传输模型,采用实测场地背景和各种干扰物辐射光谱作为基本的辐射数据,对不同浓度的污染云团红外辐射光谱进行仿真.结果表明:利用实测场地背景辐射光谱和该模型仿真污染云团DMMP红外光谱,光谱在810 cm-1,920 cm-1和1 040 cm-1波段上有明显的特征峰.当模型考虑干扰物和背景辐射的变化影响时,污染云团在810 cm-1,920 cm-1和1 040 cm-1波段上的光谱特征明显减弱.仿真光谱与场地实测光谱有比较好的符合,两者的RMS误差约为1.0.     

An efficient diffusion approximation for 3D radiative transfer parameterization: application to cloudy atmospheres

The three-dimensional (3D) diffusion radiative transfer equation, which utilizes a four-term spherical harmonics expansion for the scattering phase function and intensity, has been efficiently solved by using the full multigrid numerical method. This approach can simulate the transfer of solar and thermal infrared radiation in inhomogeneous cloudy conditions with different boundary conditions and sharp boundary discontinuity. The correlated k-distribution method is used in this model for incorporation of the gaseous absorption in multiple-scattering atmospheres for the calculation of broadband fluxes and heating rates in the solar and infrared spectra. Comparison of the results computed from this approach with those computed from plane-parallel and 3D Monte Carlo models shows excellent agreement. This 3D radiative transfer approach is well suited for radiation parameterization involving 3D and inhomogeneous clouds in climate models.     

基于MODIS数据的卷云反射率的反演实现

多光谱的MODIS（中分辨率成像光谱仪）数据为深入研究全球卷云提供了可能性。基于卷云辐射系统模型,利用MODIS的1．38μm波段（26通道）和0．66μm波段（1通道）探测数据的相关性,反演计算可见光波段卷云的反射率。反演计算中,使用1km分辨率的MODIS1B数据,对M（）DIS典型图幅进行不同等分的划分,分别给出反演结果并进行对比分析,结果表明等分份数越多,其反演结果的精度越高,最后给出了反演结果的实际应用。     

复杂大气背景下机载通信终端与无人机目标之间的激光传输特性研究

云层、气溶胶和大气分子是大气环境的主要组成部分.本文基于逐次散射法求解辐射传输方程,建立了复杂大气背景下机载无线光通信终端与地空无人机目标之间的激光传输模型.考虑真实大气背景中卷云、大气分子和气溶胶存在的情况下,数值计算了1.55 mm激光经机载通信终端发出后通过大气背景的直接传输和一阶散射传输后接收功率随无人机目标高度的变化关系,分析了飞机在云上、云中和云下以及卷云冰晶粒子有效半径、飞机与无人机之间的水平距离对接收激光信号传输功率的影响.数值结果表明:激光通过卷云传输的功率很大程度上取决于飞机在云上、云下或云中的位置;飞机与无人机目标之间的水平距离和卷云冰晶粒子的有效半径对激光直接传输和一阶散射传输影响较大;与云上大气相比,云下的大气分子和气溶胶对激光有较大的衰减.本文工作可为进一步开展地空链路上复杂大气背景对机载与低空无人机目标激光通信实验、无人机编队、指挥和组网技术的研究提供理论支撑.     

An algorithm to determine cirrus properties from analysis of multiple-scattering influence on lidar signals

A Monte Carlo-based evaluation of the multiple-scattering influence on ground-based Raman lidar measurements is presented. The lidar returns from cirrus clouds are analyzed in order to evaluate vertical profiles of the extinction and backscattering coefficients. Results show that for the typical cirrus cloud, the presence of the multiple scattering can lead to an underestimation of the extinction coefficient by as large as 200% whereas the backscattering coefficient is almost unaffected for the Raman lidar technique. An algorithm to select one or a set of phase functions which fit to the lidar data is also presented. It is an iterative procedure based on Monte Carlo scattering simulation. By comparison of the experimental value of the lidar ratio, corrected for the multiple scattering influence, and the phase function used in the Monte Carlo simulation, one can determine a suitable phase function. The validity and sensitivity of the algorithm have been demonstrated by applying it to simulated cases. The application to some real cases indicates that our procedure allows for the establishing of a practical scattering model for the cirrus clouds.