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| Titel |
Detection and characterization of heavy drizzle cells within subtropical marine stratocumulus using AMSR-E 89-GHz passive microwave measurements |
| VerfasserIn |
M. A. Miller, S. E. Yuter |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| ISSN |
1867-1381
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| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: Atmospheric Measurement Techniques ; 6, no. 1 ; Nr. 6, no. 1 (2013-01-02), S.1-13 |
| Datensatznummer |
250003389
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/amt-6-1-2013.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| This empirical study demonstrates the feasibility of using 89-GHz Advanced
Microwave Scanning Radiometer–Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) passive
microwave brightness temperature data to detect heavily drizzling cells
within subtropical marine stratocumulus. For the purpose of this paper, we
define heavily drizzling cells as areas ≥ 6 km × 4 km with
C-band Z > 0 dBZ; equivalent to > 0.084 mm h−1.
A binary heavy drizzle product is described that can be used to determine
areal and feature statistics of drizzle cells within the major marine
stratocumulus regions. Current satellite liquid water path (LWP) and cloud
radar products capable of detecting drizzle are either lacking in resolution
(AMSR-E LWP), diurnal coverage (MODIS LWP), or spatial coverage (CloudSat).
The AMSR-E 89-GHz data set at 6 km × 4 km spatial resolution is
sufficient for resolving individual heavily drizzling cells. Radiant
emission at 89 GHz by liquid-water cloud and precipitation particles from
drizzling cells in marine stratocumulus regions yields local maxima in
brightness temperature against an otherwise cloud-free background brightness
temperature. The background brightness temperature is primarily constrained
by column-integrated water vapor for moderate sea surface temperatures.
Clouds containing ice are screened out. Once heavily drizzling pixels are
identified, connected pixels are grouped into discrete drizzle cell
features. The identified drizzle cells are used in turn to determine several
spatial statistics for each satellite scene, including drizzle cell number
and size distribution. The identification of heavily drizzling cells within
marine stratocumulus regions with satellite data facilitates analysis of
seasonal and regional drizzle cell occurrence and the interrelation between
drizzle and changes in cloud fraction. |
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