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Comparison of Cloud Information from the MMCR of ARM Sites with that from the Aqua MODIS Cloud Mask

Mace, G.G. and Zhang, Q., University of Utah
Fourteenth Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Science Team Meeting

CloudSat is an experimental satellite which will use Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) to measure the vertical structure of clouds from space. It will fly in orbital formation as part of a constellation of satellites including Aqua, CALIPSO, PARASOL and Aura. We develop an algorithm that will be implemented operationally to identify significant radar echo in the CloudSat data stream, and to compare the radar significant echo profile with the information from the MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiomete) cloud mask of Aqua. In this research, we evaluate the algorithm with data collected by the MMCR (Millimeter Wave Cloud Radar) of ARM sites. We use the MODIS cloud mask data of Aqua passing over the ARM sites to compare the cloud information from the MMCR. A wide range of atmospheric circumstances, such as clear sky, high clouds (very thin, thin, thick), middle clouds, low clouds and multi-layer clouds are discussed.

Note: This is the poster abstract presented at the meeting; an extended version was not provided by the author(s).