Cloud-Base-Height Estimation from Paired Ground-Based Hemispherical Observations

August 1, 2005

Journal Article

Cloud-Base-Height Estimation from Paired Ground-Based Hemispherical Observations

Abstract

The Total Sky Imager (TSI) and Hemispheric Sky Imager (HSI) each have a hemispherical field-of-view (FOV) and many TSIs are now deployed. Currently, these instruments have been used routinely to provide a time series of the fractional sky cover only. In this study, we examine the possible retrieval of cloud base height (CBH) from TSI surface observations. This paper presents a validation analysis of a new retrieval using both a model-output inverse problem and independent, ground-based Micropulse Lidar data. The obtained results suggest that, at least for single layer cloud fields, moderately accurate (within ~0.35 km) CBH retrieval is possible.

Revised: May 18, 2011 | Published: August 1, 2005

Citation

Kassianov E.I., C.N. Long, and J.E. Christy. 2005. Cloud-Base-Height Estimation from Paired Ground-Based Hemispherical Observations. Journal of Applied Meteorology 44, no. 8:1221-1233. PNNL-SA-43253.