MICRU: an effective cloud fraction algorithm designed for UV–vis satellite instruments with large viewing angles

Sihler, Holger; Beirle, Steffen; Dörner, Steffen; Gutenstein-Penning de Vries, Marloes; Hörmann, Christoph; Borger, Christian; Warnach, Simon; Wagner, Thomas

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3989-2021

Articles | Volume 14, issue 6

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3989-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-3989-2021

© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 14, issue 6

Research article

|

02 Jun 2021

Research article |

| 02 Jun 2021

MICRU: an effective cloud fraction algorithm designed for UV–vis satellite instruments with large viewing angles

Holger Sihler, Steffen Beirle, Steffen Dörner, Marloes Gutenstein-Penning de Vries, Christoph Hörmann, Christian Borger, Simon Warnach, and Thomas Wagner

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Final revised paper (published on 02 Jun 2021)
Preprint (discussion started on 18 May 2020)

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment

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- Supplement

RC1: 'Referee Report for Manuscript amt-2020-182', Anonymous Referee #1, 24 Jun 2020
- AC1: 'Authors' response to the comments of Referee #1', Holger Sihler, 08 Dec 2020
RC2: 'review', Anonymous Referee #2, 29 Jun 2020
- AC2: 'Authors' response to the comments of Referee #2', Holger Sihler, 08 Dec 2020
SC1: 'Short comment', Eun-Su Yang, 09 Jul 2020
- AC3: 'Authors' response to the comments of Eun-Su Yang', Holger Sihler, 08 Dec 2020

Peer-review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision

AR by Holger Sihler on behalf of the Authors (08 Dec 2020) Author's response Manuscript

ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (08 Dec 2020) by Andrew Sayer

RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (23 Dec 2020)

ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (24 Dec 2020) by Andrew Sayer

Short summary

MICRU is an algorithm for the retrieval of effective cloud fractions (CFs) from satellite measurements. CFs describe the amount of clouds, which have a significant impact on the vertical sensitivity profile of trace gases like NO₂ and HCHO. MICRU retrieves small CFs with an accuracy of 0.04 over the entire satellite swath. It features an empirical surface reflectivity model accounting for physical anisotropy (BRDF, sun glitter) and instrumental effects. MICRU is also applicable to imager data.