A Multichannel, Multiangle Method for the Determination of Infrared Optical Depth of Semitransparent High Cloud from an Orbiting Satellite. Part I: Formulation and Simulation

Abstract

A method is presented for determining the infrared optical depth of semitransparent clouds from satellite measurements. The technique employs cloud measurements at two infrared wavelengths and two angles. Using a simple but accurate model it is shown that the cloud optical depths at both wavelengths can be uniquely determined. Results of simulation studies are presented. The method will be used on data from the Along Track Scanning Radiometer on the first European remote-sensing satellite (ERS-1), which has the capability of providing multiangle multichannel measurements globally.