Retrieval of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles from satellite data over India using the ICI inversion model

Abstract

Radiance measurements from satellites offer the opportunity to retrieve atmospheric variables at much higher spatial resolution than is presently afforded by in situ measurements (e.g., radiosondes). However, the accuracy of these retrievals is crucial to their usefulness, and the ill-posed nature of the problem precludes a straight forward solution. In this paper, Inversion Coupled with Image (ICI) model has been investigated to retrieve vertical temperature and moisture profiles of earth’s atmosphere from infrared and microwave brightness temperatures from a polar-orbiting satellite. The analyses were done using the Advanced TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (ATOVS) data for the January and July 2002 representing winter and summer conditions. The results are compared with NCEP (National Center for Environmental Prediction) reanalysis data 1 × 1 degree latitude and longitude. Emphasis has been given in analyzing the role of the channels combination used in the retrieval process. Different surface types (sea and land) and atmospheric conditions (clear and cloudy sky) were also considered.