Improving Satellite-Retrieved Cloud Base Height with Ground-Based Cloud Radar Measurements

• Abstract

  Cloud base height is is ( CBH ) is a crucial parameter for cloud radiative effect estimate , climate change simulation , and aviation guidance . However , due to the limited information on cloud vertical structure include in passive satellite radiometer observation , few operational satellite cbh products is are are currently available . This study is presents present a new method for retrieve CBH from satellite radiometer . The method is uses first use the combine measurement of satellite radiometer and ground – base cloud radar to develop a lookup table ( LUT ) of effective cloud water content ( ECWC ) , represent the vertically vary cloud water content . This LUT is allows allow for the conversion of cloud water path to cloud geometric thickness ( CGT ) , enable the estimation of cbh as the difference between cloud top height and CGT . detail comparative analysis of cbh estimate from the state – of – the – art ECWC LUT are conduct against four ground – base millimeter – wave cloud radar ( MMCR ) measurement , and result show that the mean bias ( correlation coefficient ) is 0.18±1.79 km ( 0.73 ) , which is low ( high ) than 0.23±2.11 km ( 0.67 ) as derive from the combine measurement of satellite radiometer and satellite radar – lidar ( i.e. , CloudSat and CALIPSO ) . furthermore , the percentages is increase of the CBH bias within 250 m increase by 5 % to 10 % , which vary by location . This is indicates indicate that the CBH estimate from our algorithm are more consistent with ground – base mmcr measurement . Therefore , this algorithm is shows show great potential for further improvement of the cbh retrieval as ground – base MMCR are being increasingly include in global surface meteorological observe network , and the improved cbh retrieval will contribute to well cloud radiative effect estimate .