Multiparameter AVHRR-Derived Products for Arctic Climate Studies

Abstract

Generation and sample applications of an integrated set of remotely sensed products for investigations of Arctic climate are described. Cloud fraction, ice surface temperature, surface albedo, downwelling radiative fluxes, ice motion vectors, and cloud properties such as optical depth, phase, and droplet effective radius are estimated from calibrated and navigated AVHRR 1.1-km imagery of the Arctic Beaufort Sea region for June 1992 through July 1993. The processing strategy and characteristics of the products are reviewed. The utility of this type of multiparameter dataset for modeling applications and process studies is illustrated using simple examples of an albedo parameterization, sensible heat flux calculation, and sea ice advection.