On the relationship between clear-sky planetary and surface albedos: a parameterization for simple energy balance climate models

In simple energy balance climate models all physical and dynamical processes are parameterized in terms of the single unknown variable: the surface temperature. To simulate the ice-albedo feedback, the surface albedo is usually assumed to be a function of surface temperature. But to compute the absorbed solar radiation in such models one requires the top-of-the atmosphere albedo: the planetary albedo. In the present study, a simple linear relationship is derived between planetary albedo and surface albedo for the case of clear skies. The relationship is based upon a regression equation derived from simulations and has a standard error of estimate of 0.028. The estimation of planetary albedo from surface albedo is checked by comparing zonally averaged clear-sky planetary albedos, estimated from zonally averaged surface albedos, to satellite determinations of zonally averaged minimum albedos for monthly mean conditions. The minimum albedos are assumed to be representative of the clear-sky planetary albedos. The results show root-mean square differences of 0.05 between the estimated clear-sky planetary albedos and the minimum albedos.More accurate relationships can be obtained if one uses an additional parameter - the solar zenith angle. In this case, the standard errors of estimate are reduced to 0.017 for a zenith angle of 0°, 0.018 for a zenith angle of 60° and 0.021 for a zenith angle of 85°.     

近地空间短波红外恒星探测信噪比分析方法

针对星敏感器在近地空间导航应用需求,开展了短波红外恒星探测信噪比分析方法研究。基于恒星目标与天空背景辐射特性,构建了恒星探测信噪比模型,并结合光学系统及图像传感器参数完成了仿真试验。结果表明,同一星等及太阳天顶角下,Ks波段下的恒星探测信噪比最大,H波段次之,J波段最小;同一太阳天顶角及波段下,星等越小,恒星探测信噪比越大;同一星等及波长下,太阳天顶角越大,即恒星与太阳之间角距越大,恒星探测信噪比越大。本文可为新一代近地空间全天时星敏感器系统的方案设计、指标论证、评估应用提供可靠的理论方法与技术支持。     

Comptel measurements of the omnidirectional high-energy neutron flux in near-earth orbit

On four occasions, twice in 1991 (near solar maximum) and twice in 1994 (near solar minimum), one COMPTEL D1 detector module was used as an omnidirectional detector to measure the high-energy (>12.8 MeV) neutron flux near an altitude of 450 km. The Dl modules are cylindrical, with radius 13.8 cm and depth 8 cm, and are filled with liquid scintillator (NE213A). The combined flux measurements can be fit reasonably well by a product of the Mt. Washington neutron monitor rate, a linear function in the spacecraft geocenter zenith angle, and an exponential function of the vertical geomagnetic cutoff rigidity in which the coefficient of the rigidity is a linear function of the neutron monitor rate. When pointed at the nadir, the flux is consistent with that expected from the atmospheric neutron albedo alone. When pointed at the zenith the flux is reduced by a factor of about 0.54. Thus the production of secondary neutrons in the massive (16000 kg) Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory spacecraft is negligible. Rather, the mass of the spacecraft provides shielding from the earth albedo.     

Modeling of effect of polarization on UV sky radiance during twilight

The spatial distribution of the vector of the Stokes parameters characterizing the radiance intensity and the radiance polarization describes the radiation field in the atmosphere. A simplified treatment of light as the scalar has only restricted application. A few studies compared previously results of the vector and scalar radiative transfer models and showed that scalar models are in error by up to 10% for many cases. Though several observational conditions were exploited, an effect of polarization on modeling of UV radiance has not been investigated yet for twilight. The paper presents a preliminary study of modeled UV radiance during twilight taking into account polarization. The intensity and the degree of linear polarization of the scattered UV radiance for two cases of the ground-based observations are discussed. In the first case, radiation incoming from the zenith for the solar zenith angles (SZA) from 90° to 98° is under investigation. Radiation in the solar principal plane for the beginning of twilight (SZA = 90.1°) was calculated in the second case. The study showed that the UV radiation field in the twilight atmosphere can be handled correctly only using the vector theory. The errors of scalar radiative transfer strongly depend on wavelength, line of an observation and solar position. The revealed distortion of the zenith radiance caused by using of the scalar approximation reaches maximum of 15% at 340 nm for the solar zenith angle (SZA) equal to 98°. The shorter wavelengths have the smaller errors, about 5% at 305 nm for SZA = 98°, due to the larger part of the single scattered radiance. The error of the scalar modeling may be as large as −17% for radiance incoming from the horizon for SZA = 90.1°. Scalar radiative transfer models underestimate the integral intensity in the principal plane up to 3–4% ± 0.5% at SZA = 90.1° for wavelengths from 320 to 340 nm. This should be taken into account in problems of radiative budget estimation and remote sensing of the atmosphere exploiting the twilight period.     

Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System (CERES), a review: Past,present and future

The Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System (CERES) project’s objectives are to measure the reflected solar radiance (shortwave) and Earth-emitted (longwave) radiances and from these measurements to compute the shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and the surface and radiation divergence within the atmosphere. The fluxes at TOA are to be retrieved to an accuracy of 2%. Improved bidirectional reflectance distribution functions (BRDFs) have been developed to compute the fluxes at TOA from the measured radiances with errors reduced from ERBE by a factor of two or more. Instruments aboard the Terra and Aqua spacecraft provide sampling at four local times. In order to further reduce temporal sampling errors, data are used from the geostationary meteorological satellites to account for changes of scenes between observations by the CERES radiometers.     

大耀斑期间向日面电离层总电子含量的响应个例分析

利用2001年4月15日1336UT耀斑爆发期间向日面GPS观测数据提取的总电子含量的时间变化曲线,分析了向日面电离层对这次耀斑的响应特点.结果表明,耀斑期间向日面电离层出现了总电子含量突增事件.最大总电子含量增加量约为2.6TECU,在0600LT和1800LT都观测到了总电子含量突增,但增加幅度仅为0.5-1 TECU.在高纬地区,由于电离层闪烁,从TEC时间变化曲线提取不出来总电子含量增加值.从各卫星星下点处的TEC增加量和各星下点处的太阳天顶角的关系可以看到,TEC增加量与太阳天顶角有关,太阳天顶角越大,TEC增幅越小.另外,从总电子含量时间变化率曲线上还观测到了时间同步的小尺度扰动,通过与耀斑期间硬X射线辐射通量的比较,发现两者有明显的相关性,电离层中的这种扰动与耀斑期间的硬X射线或远紫外辐射有关.     

Changes in the radiative balance of the atmosphere due to increases in CO2 and trace gases

Increases in CO₂ and trace gases in the earth's atmosphere can lead to changes in the radiative balance of the earth's atmosphere in two ways. Changes in the amount of these constituents leads directly to changes in outgoing longwave radiation. This change in outgoing longwave radiation causes the thermal structure of the atmosphere to change. These changes in thermal structure can then alter the distribution of outgoing longwave radiation. Changes in the distribution and amount of outgoing radiation due to various increases in CO₂ and trace gases are presented from a model with a spectral resolution of 5 cm⁻¹. The effects of stratospheric aerosols, and the use of general circulation models for detecting changes in the radiative balance are discussed.     

Prediction of clear-sky biologically effective erythematic radiation (EER) From global solar radiation (250–2800 nm) at Cairo,Egypt

The hourly and daily measured clear-sky global solar radiation (G) and biologically important effective erythematic radiation (EER) incident on a horizontal surface at Cairo, Egypt (latitude 30° 05′ N & Longitude 31° 15′ E), during the period from January 1995 to December 2005 are used in this paper. The relationship between daily integrated totals of EER and the daily totals of broadband global solar radiation (250–2800 nm) is established. The temporal variability of the percentage ratio of the total daily erythema to total daily broadband solar global irradiation (EER/G) is determined. The monthly and the seasonal averages of the extraterrestrial UVB solar radiation, Mesurad and estímated UVB solar radiation and clearness index K_tUVB of UVB radiation are discussed. The average monthly mean variation of slant ozone (Z) and UVB transmission (K_tUVB) at the present work are found. The two variables show an opposite seasonal behavior, and the average monthly of slant ozone column and UVB transmission values shows the relationship between them in a clearer way than those of daily values. The estimated values of UVB solar radiation a good agreement with the measured values of the UVB solar radiation, the difference between the estimated and measured values of UVB solar radiation varies from 1.2% to 2.8%. The effect of the annual cycles of solar zenith angle (SZA) and total column ozone (TCO) on the ratios (EER/G) are presented and the correction factors are determined for removal of the ozone cycle. The seasonal variability of EER/G is also discussed. The effect of the annual cycles of solar zenith angle (SZA) and total column ozone (TCO) on the ratios (EER/G) is presented and the correction factors are determined for removal of the ozone cycle.     

Estimation of the radiation budget sensitivity to cloud variations

At the estimation of the sensitivity three variable parameters must be taken into account: cloud amount, cloud albedo and cloud-top height. Cloud albedo is considered to be a parameter that varies according to a given formula. The effective cloud amount and outgoing longwave flux from cloudy atmosphere have been computed on the basis of the satellite measured planetary albedo and the outgoing flux data, using additional information about planetary albedo and the outgoing longwave flux in clear-sky conditions. The latter quantities have been computed from the mean contemporary climatic data. The estimation of the sensitivity is carried out in two cases: if the effective cloud amount and cloud-top height variations are independent or not. The corresponding statistical tests are presented.     

日照边缘区域电离层对耀斑的响应特点研究

利用MSIS模型和背景太阳辐射谱模型,在一定大耀斑辐射谱假设的前提下,计算了耀斑期间日照边缘区域的电子产生率,分析了这一区域电离层电子密度的变化特点.结果表明,大耀斑期间在日照边缘区域,甚至大于太阳天顶角90°的区域都有明显的电子产生率的增加.从不同太阳天顶角处的电子产生率剖面的形态来看,随着天顶角的增加最大电离率减少,但高度增加.计算还显示了在太阳天顶角小于90°的区域内电子产生率的垂直分布有明显的双峰结构,这种结构对应着电离层的E区和F区,但在天顶角大于90°区域,F区的电子产生率要大得多.考虑到离子和电子的复合过程,这一区域的总电子含量的增加主要产生在高F区.      

The absorption of solar energy and the heating rate in the atmosphere of Venus

The Solar Flux Radiometer (LSFR) experiment on the large probe of the Pioneer Venus (PV) mission made detailed measurements of the vertical profile of the upward and downward broadband flux of sunlight at a solar zenith angle of 65.7°. These data have been combined with cloud particle size distribution measurements on the PV mission to produce a forward-scattering model of the Venus clouds. The distribution of clouds at high altitudes is constrained by measurements from the PV orbiter. Below the clouds the visible spectrum and flux levels are consistent with Venera measurements at other solar zenith angles. The variations in the optical parameters with height and with wavelength are summarized in several figures. The model is used to evaluate the solar heating rate at cloud levels as a function of altitude, solar longitude, and latitude for use in dynamical studies.     

On the influence of rough water surfaces on polarimetric investigations of aerosols from space

The equation of radiative transfer is solved for the complete Stokes' vector in order to study the polarization of solar radiation on top of a turbid atmosphere.The surface characteristics (bidirectional anisotropy and polarization properties of randomly oriented water surface elements) are contained in the lower boundary condition of the integro-differential equation. Results of surface model calculations are compared with polarimeter measurements of a natural scenario.On top of the atmosphere the degree of polarization is found to depend generally on the turbidity of the atmosphere. The degree of polarization reaches its maximum in the vicinity of the angle of specular reflection on the water surface, if the sun's zenith distance is about the Brewster's angle.According to the model calculations observation angles can be found where the degree of polarization does not depend on the surface roughness. Apparently these angles have to be preferred for determination of the atmospheric turbidity.     

Comparison of NMC model calculated longwave flux with satellite (ERBE and AVHRR) observation

The U.S. Air Force Real Time Nephanalysis (RT NEPH) is incorporated into the NMC Medium Range Forecast Model (MRF) to explore the impact of cloudiness on the model's radiation parameterization. After transfering to MRF model coordinate, RT NEPH is in qualitative agreement with ERBE Scene ID. The zero-hour “forecast” of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) of 00GMT Nov. 9, 1984 is compared with that derived from NOAA AVHRR observation and the preliminary ERBE result. The comparison shows that the greater difference in OLR are from cloudy sky regions, in spite of qualitative agreement on the structures. The result suggests that for proper simulation of OLR, a refinement of the model cloud parameterization or nephanalysis on the prescribed data would be more effective than on radiative transfer scheme.     

Effects of concurrent snow and cloud cover on planetary albedo

The effects of snow and cloud cover on planetary albedo are examined using observations from NOAA polar orbiting satellites. Reflected radiation was measured in the visible range (0.5 – 0.7 μm). Planetary albedos resulting from different cloud/snow cover conditions are compared using Northern Hemisphere snow cover maps, surface weather charts, satellite photos and data on land surface types. None of the cases studied show that concurrent cloud and snow cover produces significantly different planetary albedos than cloud cover alone. Cloud cover alone is found to yield higher planetary albedos than snow cover alone; the difference being greatest over forested areas. With and without snow cover present, clear-sky planetary albedos over farming and grazing lands (snow(0.45), no snow(0.15)) are found to be significantly higher than those over forested regions (snow(0.33), no snow(0.11)). Variations in satellite zenith angle are not found to produce significant effects in most cases studied.     

The local neutron flux at low earth-orbiting altitudes

The COMPTEL instrument onboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) has been used to measure the variation of the atmospheric neutron flux below 5 MeV as a function of vertical cutoff rigidity and spacecraft orientation at an altitude of 450 km. The instrumental 2.2 MeV background line, resulting from thermal neutron capture on hydrogen, was used for the measurement. The dependence of the 2.2 MeV rate on rigidity and geocentre zenith can be described by an analytic function: the line rate decreases linearly with geocentre zenith, and decreases exponentially with the vertical cutoff rigidity. The flux varies on average by about a factor of 3.7 between the extremes in rigidity, and by a factor of 1.7 between the extremes of spacecraft orientation with respect to the Earth. We believe that mass shielding is more important in attenuating the atmospheric albedo than as a source of secondary neutrons. The COMF'TEL instrument is well suited for a long-duration study of the dependence of the neutron flux on the vertical cutoff rigidity and the solar cycle.     

A simple model to predict solar radiation under clear sky conditions

Solar radiation is one of the major factors that dominate the thermal behaviors of aerostats in the daytime and the primary energy source of high altitude long endurance aerostats. Therefore, it is necessary to propose an accurate model to predict the solar irradiances. A comprehensive review of the well-known solar radiation models is conducted to help develop the new model. Based on the analysis of the existing models and the available radiation data, the extensive computer tests of the regression and optimization are conducted, from which the new solar radiation model for direct and diffuse irradiances under clear sky conditions is proposed. The new model has excellent prediction accuracy. The coefficient of determination for direct radiation is 0.992, with the root mean square error (RMSE) of 16.9 W/m² and the mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.2%. The coefficient of determination for diffuse radiation is 0.86, with RMSE = 8.7 W/m² and MAE = 9.9%. Comparisons with the well-known existing models show that the new model is much more accurate than the best existing ones.     

卫星表面原子氧通量和遭遇量的计算及讨论

建立了一个较为理想情况下卫星表面原子氧通量和遭遇量的计算模式。在此基础上,着重讨论了轨道高度、太阳活动、飞行攻角及轨道倾角等因素对原子氧通量和遭遇量的影响。