Estimation of cloud top height and effective cloud cover from infrared satellite soundings

The paper deals with a new method for simultaneous determination of cloud top height and effective cloud cover, using infrared radiance data of satellite-borne instruments. These cloud properties derived from the Selective Chopper Radiometer on the Nimbus 5 satellite are compared with nearly simultaneous observations by radiosondes and with satellite images. Encouraging results for Central-Europe during January, April, July, August and October 1974, as well as numerical simulations indicate that the method proposed here, would be useful also for global application. Another advantage of the described procedure are the small amount of computing time, and that no other data are required than 3 of infrared channel values, for each sounded spot.