Properties of low-level marine clouds as deduced from advanced very high resolution radiometer satellite observations

A radiation model was developed for retrieving cloud visible optical depth, droplet effective radius, and cloud top emission temperature using AVHRR satellite observations at 0.63, 3.7, and 11 ;The retrieved cloud properties were also compared for the spatial coherence, CLAVR (Clouds from AVHRR), and a threshold method based on International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project procedures. For regions containing single-layered cloud systems, fractional cloud cover and cloud brightness temperatures derived by the ISCCP-like threshold method were systematically larger than those derived by the spatial coherence method, whereas cloud reflectivities were systematically smaller. Cloud reflectivities and brightness temperatures derived by CLAVR and the spatial coherence method were in better agreement.