Application of Cloud Occurrence Climatology from CALIOP to Evaluate Performances of Airborne and Satellite Electro-Optical Sensors

Abstract

wide variety of optronic sensors, on board a satellite or airborne platform, are used for remote sensing, surveillance applications, and telecommunications. Cloud presence in the field of view is one of the key factors limiting the performances of these sensors. Consequently, cloud presence must be taken into account in order to evaluate their performances. To that end, a Monte Carlo method is used. Geometrical and optical cloud properties necessary to build the model are obtained from Cloud?Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) measurements that enable one to deal with the optically thinnest clouds. Different viewing geometries are presented, corresponding to surveillance missions by an airborne sensor with close-to-the-horizon viewing and to an optical link between an aircraft and a satellite. Results obtained are compared to a previous study and improvements reached with this new method are discussed.