Bremen 2017 – scientific programme

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UP: Fachverband Umweltphysik

UP 6: Methoden - Fernerkundung

UP 6.3: Talk

Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 09:15–09:30, GW2 B3009

Experiences with an optimal estimation algorithm for surface and atmospheric parameter retrieval from passive microwave data in the Arctic — •Raul Scarlat and Georg Heygster — University of Bremen - Institute of Environmental Physics Otto-Hahn-Allee 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany

In this study we present experiences in using an integrated retrieval method for atmospheric and surface parameters in the Arctic using passive microwave data from the AMSR-E radiometer.

The core of the method is a forward model which can ingest bulk data for seven geophysical parameters to reproduce the brightness temperatures observed by a passive microwave radiometer. The retrieval method inverts the forward model and produces ensembles of the seven parameters. These are wind speed, integrated water vapor, liquid water path, sea and ice surface temperature, sea ice concentration and multi-year ice fraction. The forward model uses empirically determined sea ice surface emissivities for simulating brightness temperatures in ice covered areas. Three distinct versions of the retrieval method were implemented using the lower eight, ten and all twelve channels respectively.

This study provides an overview of the results for atmospheric and surface parameter retrieval as well as suggestions for future improvements.