Trends in global cirrus inferred from three years of HIRS data

Donald P. Wylie; W. Paul Menzel

doi:10.1117/12.154903

15 September 1993 Trends in global cirrus inferred from three years of HIRS data

Donald P. Wylie, W. Paul Menzel

Proceedings Volume 1934, Passive Infrared Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.154903
Event: Optical Engineering and Photonics in Aerospace Sensing, 1993, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

Trends in global upper tropospheric semi-transparent cirrus cloud cover are beginning to emerge from a three year cloud climatology compiled using NOAA polar orbiting HIRS multispectral infrared data. Cloud occurrence, height, and amount have been determined with the CO₂ slicing technique on the three years of data (June 1989 - May 1992). Annual, seasonal, and geographical trends of cloudiness are presented. To date, semi-transparent clouds are found in more than one third of the observations. Large seasonal changes are found in areas dominated by the ITCZ, the sub-tropical high pressure systems, and the mid-latitude storm belts. Semi-transparent clouds associated with these features move latitudinally with the seasons. More thin clouds (effective emissivity less than .50) are found in the tropics than in midlatitudes. Global average of all clouds (semi-transparent and opaque) is about 75%; more clouds are found over the oceans than over land.

Citation Download Citation

Donald P. Wylie and W. Paul Menzel "Trends in global cirrus inferred from three years of HIRS data", Proc. SPIE 1934, Passive Infrared Remote Sensing of Clouds and the Atmosphere, (15 September 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.154903

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