Validation of AIRS cloud-cleared radiances using high spectral resolution infrared aircraft observations

摘要

This study will present results of an effort to validate the accuracy of the cloud-cleared radiance products of the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) using observations from a variety of aircraft based sensors. The AIRS cloud-clear radiances are a product of the Level 2 ground processing software developed by the NASA AIRS science team. The cloud-clear radiance represents an estimate of the infrared upwelling spectrum at the top of the atmosphere for a cloud free atmosphere. This study concentrates on observations collected during the Pacific THORpex experiment, conducted in February-March 2003. NASA ER-2 aircraft based observations from the Scanning-High Resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS) and the MODIS Airborne Simulator (MAS) are used in this validation effort.