Reprocessing Satellite Data for Climate Studies
Figure. The interannual variability in high cloud averaged over the month of July for 1983, 1988, 1993 and 1998. Areas with large amounts of high cloud are red; areas with less high cloud are blue. Submitted by Jeff Key, ASPB. |
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Satellite
data now provide a record long enough to study recent climate change,
though reprocessing is generally necessary to ensure accurate inter-satellite
calibration. The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is one sensor
that can provide invaluable information on clouds, surface properties, and even
winds. New climate products from AVHRR data include a higher resolution global
vegetation index, a climatology of polar winds, and a new sea surface temperature
climatology. In addition, a new version of the AVHRR Pathfinder Atmospheres
Extended (PATMOS-x) is being generated that will provide atmospheric climate
records of cloud and aerosol properties. Reprocessed satellite data will greatly
enhance the potential of using the AVHRR for decadal climate studies.