An Intercomparison Between Radiation Budget Estimates from METEOSAT 1, Nimbus 7 and TIROS-N Satellites

Abstract

Daily averaged and instantaneous values or the Earth's radiation budget have been computed from the satellite measurements of reflected solar and emitted terrestrial radiation with MEUGSAT 1, Nimbus 7 ERB and TIROS-N scanning radiometers. The estimates have been compared for 12 selected 2.5° ? 2.5° latitude-longitude moons for 14 October 1979. The METEOSAT daily mean values were used to study the effects of diurnal variations because observations were available nearly every hour of the day. The comparisons between the three independent data sets is discussed and an assessment is made of the relative importance of diurnal variations and anisotropic scattering models. A cheek was made on the inferred broad-band MEUOSAT fluxes by a direct comparison with coincident Nimbus 7 ERB measurements.