Comparison of Aircraft Observed with Calculated Downwelling Solar Fluxes During ARESE
Shi, B., and Ellingson, R.G., University of Maryland
Ninth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Science Team Meeting
The focus of this study is to estimate the confidence intervals of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Enhanced Shortwave Experiment (ARESE) solar radiation measurements on board the Egrett and Twin-Otter aircraft. The observational uncertainty is estimated by comparing measurements of the clear-sky downwelling flux at the Egrett flight levels with SBDART model calculations. The results show that the model calculated fluxes averaging about 12.5 W/sq. m higher than those observed. We assume a similar discrepancy would occur for the model-observation comparisons on each aircraft. We conclude that the 95% confidence intervals for the ARESE atmospheric absorption is about +- 50 W/sq. m.
Note: This is the poster abstract presented at the meeting; an extended version was not provided by the author(s).


