Estimation of Marine Boundary Layer Depth and Relative Humidity with Multispectral Satellite Measurements.

Abstract

This study presents a technique for estimating marine boundary layer depth and relative humidity structure from satellite inferred measurements of aerosol optical depth, total water vapor and sea surface temperature. The data originates from radiance measurements by channels 1, 4 and 5 of NOAA's AVHRR instrument. The technique assumes that the atmospheric optical depth and total water vapor are primarily confined within the boundary layer, and that the layer is well-mixed. These inputs are combined through the relative humidity dependent variables of extinction and vapor density. Relative humidity is parameterized as an increasing linear function with height, resulting in an equation for the near surface relative humidity. This equation is solved, enabling estimation of boundary layer depth and humidity structure. The technique is iterative in nature, requiring 5 to 10 iterations for convergence.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1987
Accession Number
ADA184881

Entities

People

  • Richard J. Kren

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Boundary Layer
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Equations
  • Geometry
  • Humidity
  • Lapse Rate
  • Layers
  • Measurement
  • Meteorology
  • Radiative Transfer
  • Refractive Index
  • Remote Sensing
  • Sea Surface Temperature
  • Surface Temperature
  • United States
  • Water Vapor

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aerosol Science/Aerosol Physics
  • Coastal Oceanography
  • Fluid Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - Bayesian Inference
  • AI & ML - Machine Learning Algorithms
  • Space