A new technique to identify the thermodynamic phase of cloudy media using satellite measurements is proposed. The technique is based on measurements of the backscattered solar light at wavelengths 1.55 and 1.67 micrometers in combination with the cloud brightness temperature measurements at 12 micrometers. The cloud top temperature and the cloud phase index are obtained using data from Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) and SCaning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) both onboard the ENVIronemntal SATellite (ENVISAT). It is shown that the correlation plot of the cloud top temperature against the cloud phase index defined as the ratio of the reflection function at 1.55 micrometers to that at 1.67 micrometers can be used to identify regions with water, ice, and mixed clouds.
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