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MFRSR

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mfrsr: Multifilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer

The visible multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer (MFRSR) is a passive instrument that measures global and diffuse components of solar irradiance at six narrowband channels and one open, or broadband, channel. Direct irradiance is not a primary measurement, but is calculated using diffuse and global measurements.

To collect one data record, the MFRSR takes measurements at four different shadowband positions. The first measurement is taken with the shadowband in the nadir (home) position. The next three measurements are, in order, the first side-band, sun-blocked, and second side-band. The side-band measurements are used to correct for the portion of the sky obscured by the shadowband. The nominal wavelengths of the narrowband channels are 415, 500, 615, 673, 870, and 940 nm.

From such measurements, the atmosphere’s aerosol optical depth at each wavelength can be inferred. In turn, these optical depths may be used to derive information about the column abundances of ozone and water vapor, as well as aerosol and other atmospheric constituents.

Measurements

Aerosol optical depth Shortwave broadband diffuse downwelling irradiance Shortwave narrowband total downwelling irradiance
Aerosol particle size Shortwave narrowband diffuse downwelling irradiance Surface albedo
Cloud optical depth Shortwave narrowband direct normal irradiance

Locations

  • Fixed
  • AMF1
  • AMF2
  • AMF3

Related Publications

2019

Terai C, Y Zhang, S Klein, M Zelinka, J Chiu, and Q Min. 2019. "Mechanisms behind the extratropical stratiform low‐cloud optical depth response to temperature in ARM site observations." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124(4), doi:10.1029/2018JD029359.
Research Highlight

2018

Kassianov E, J Monroe, L Riihimaki, C Flynn, E Cromwell, G Hodges, and A McComiskey. 2018. Climatology of aerosol optical depth at mid-continental US site: ground-based observations. In SPIE Remote Sensing, 2018, Berlin, Germany, .

Varble A, S Nesbitt, P Salio, E Zipser, S van den Heever, G McFarquhar, P DeMott, S Kreidenweis, M Jensen, P Kollias, D Romps, K Rasmussen, R Houze, Jr, R Leung, D Gochis, E Avila, CR Williams, and P Borque. 2018. Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) Science Plan. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM user facility. DOE/SC-ARM-18-027.

Varble A, S Nesbit, P Salio, E Zipser, S van den Heever, G McFarquhar, P Kollias, S Kreidenweis, P DeMott, M Jensen, R Houze, Jr., K Rasmussen, R Leung, D Romps, D Gochis, E Avila, and C Williams. 2018. Cloud, Aerosol, and Complex Terrain Interactions (CACTI) Science Plan. Ed. by Robert Stafford, DOE ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-17-004.

PZ, M Alvarado, C Chiu, S DeSzoeke, C Fairall, G Feingold, A Freedman, S Ghan, J Haywood, P Kollias, E Lewis, G McFarquhar, A McComiskey, D Mechem, T Onasch, J Redemann, D Romps, D Turner, H Wang, R Wood, S Yuter, and P Zhu. 2018. Layered Atlantic Smoke Interactions with Clouds (LASIC) Field Campaign Report. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-18-018.

2017

Javadnia E, A Abkar, and P Schubert. 2017. "Estimation of High-Resolution Surface Shortwave Radiative Fluxes Using SARA AOD over the Southern Great Plains." Remote Sensing, 9(11), 10.3390/rs9111146.

Zhang C and S Xie. 2017. ARM Data-Oriented Metrics and Diagnostics Package for Climate Model Evaluation Value-Added Product. Ed. by Robert Stafford, ARM Climate Research Facility. DOE/SC-ARM-TR-202.

Qiu Y, C Zhao, J Guo, and J Li. 2017. "8-Year ground-based observational analysis about the seasonal variation of the aerosol-cloud droplet effective radius relationship at SGP site." Atmospheric Environment, 164, 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.06.002.

Kassianov E, J Barnard, C Flynn, L Riihimaki, L Berg, and D Rutan. 2017. "Areal-Averaged Spectral Surface Albedo in an Atlantic Coastal Area: Estimation from Ground-Based Transmission." Atmosphere, 8(7), 123, 10.3390/atmos8070123.
Research Highlight

Schwartz S, D Huang, and D Vladutescu. 2017. "High-resolution photography of clouds from the surface: Retrieval of optical depth of thin clouds down to centimeter scales." Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 122(5), 10.1002/2016JD025384.
Research Highlight

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