Journal article
A SmallSat Concept to Resolve Diurnal and Vertical Variations of Aerosols, Clouds, and Boundary Layer Height
Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Vol.104(4), pp.E815-E836
04/2023
DOI: 10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0179.1
Abstract
Abstract A SmallSat mission concept is formulated here to carry out Time-varying Optical Measurements of Clouds and Aerosol Transport (TOMCAT) from space while embracing low-cost opportunities enabled by the revolution in Earth science observation technologies. TOMCAT’s “around-the-clock” measurements will provide needed insights and strong synergy with existing Earth observation satellites to 1) statistically resolve diurnal and vertical variation of cirrus cloud properties (key to Earth’s radiation budget), 2) determine the impacts of regional and seasonal planetary boundary layer (PBL) diurnal variation on surface air quality and low-level cloud distributions, and 3) characterize smoke and dust emission processes impacting their long-range transport on the subseasonal to seasonal time scales. Clouds, aerosol particles, and the PBL play critical roles in Earth’s climate system at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Yet their vertical variations as a function of local time are poorly measured from space. Active sensors for profiling the atmosphere typically utilize sun-synchronous low-Earth orbits (LEO) with rather limited temporal and spatial coverage, inhibiting the characterization of spatiotemporal variability. Pairing compact active lidar and passive multiangle remote sensing technologies from an inclined LEO platform enables measurements of the diurnal and vertical variability of aerosols, clouds, and aerosol-mixing-layer (or PBL) height in tropical-to-midlatitude regions where most of the world’s population resides. TOMCAT is conceived to bring potential societal benefits by delivering its data products in near–real time and offering on-demand hazard-monitoring capabilities to profile fire injection of smoke particles, the frontal lofting of dust particles, and the eruptive rise of volcanic plumes.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- A SmallSat Concept to Resolve Diurnal and Vertical Variations of Aerosols, Clouds, and Boundary Layer Height
- Creators
- John E. Yorks - Goddard Space Flight CenterJun Wang - University of IowaMatthew J. McGill - University of IowaMelanie Follette-Cook - Goddard Space Flight CenterEdward P. Nowottnick - Goddard Space Flight CenterJeffrey S. Reid - United States Naval Research LaboratoryPeter R. Colarco - Goddard Space Flight CenterJianglong Zhang - University of North DakotaOlga Kalashnikova - Jet Propulsion LaboratoryHongbin Yu - Goddard Space Flight CenterFranco Marenco - Met OfficeJoseph A. Santanello - Goddard Space Flight CenterTammy M. Weckwerth - National Center for Atmospheric ResearchZhanqing Li - University of Maryland, College ParkJames R. Campbell - United States Naval Research LaboratoryPing Yang - Texas A&M UniversityMinghui Diao - San Jose State UniversityVincent Noel - Laboratoire d'AérologieKerry G. Meyer - Goddard Space Flight CenterJames L. Carr - Astrophysics Science DivisionMichael Garay - Jet Propulsion LaboratoryKenneth Christian - Earth System Science Interdisciplinary CenterAngela Bennedetti - European Centre for Medium-Range Weather ForecastsAllison M. Ring - University of Maryland, College ParkAlice Crawford - NOAA Air Resources LaboratoryMichael J. Pavolonis - NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and ResearchValentina Aquila - American UniversityJhoon Kim - Yonsei UniversityShobha Kondragunta - NOAA Center for Satellite Applications and Research
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, Vol.104(4), pp.E815-E836
- DOI
- 10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0179.1
- ISSN
- 0003-0007
- eISSN
- 1520-0477
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/2023
- Academic Unit
- Electrical and Computer Engineering; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering; Physics and Astronomy; Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984413070002771
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