CALIOP V4 cloud thermodynamic phase assignment  and the impact of near-nadir viewing angles

Avery, Melody A.; Ryan, Robert A.; Getzewich, Brian J.; Vaughan, Mark A.; Winker, David M.; Hu, Yongxiang; Garnier, Anne; Pelon, Jacques; Verhappen, Carolus A.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4539-2020

Articles | Volume 13, issue 8

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4539-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

CALIPSO version 4 algorithms and data products

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-4539-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 13, issue 8

Research article

|

25 Aug 2020

Research article |

| 25 Aug 2020

CALIOP V4 cloud thermodynamic phase assignment and the impact of near-nadir viewing angles

Melody A. Avery, Robert A. Ryan, Brian J. Getzewich, Mark A. Vaughan, David M. Winker, Yongxiang Hu, Anne Garnier, Jacques Pelon, and Carolus A. Verhappen

Data sets

Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) data management system data products catalog, Release 4.40 M. Vaughan, M. Pitts, C. Trepte, D. Winker, P. Detweiler, A. Garnier, B. Getzewich, W. Hunt, J. Lambeth, K.-P. Lee, P. Lucker, T. Murray, S. Rodier, T. Tremas, A. Bazureau, and J. Pelon https://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov/products/CALIPSO_DPC_Rev4x40.pdf

Short summary

CALIOP data users will find more cloud layers detected in V4, with edges that extend further than in V3, for an increase in total atmospheric cloud volume of 6 %–9 % for high-confidence cloud phases and 1 %–2 % for all cloudy bins, including cloud fringes and unknown cloud phases. In V4 there are many fewer cloud layers identified as horizontally oriented ice, particularly in the 3° off-nadir view. Depolarization at 532 nm is the predominant parameter determining cloud thermodynamic phase.