Articles | Volume 16, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1043-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-1043-2023
Research article
 | 
02 Mar 2023
Research article |  | 02 Mar 2023

A semi-Lagrangian method for detecting and tracking deep convective clouds in geostationary satellite observations

William K. Jones, Matthew W. Christensen, and Philip Stier

Related authors

tobac v1.5: introducing fast 3D tracking, splits and mergers, and other enhancements for identifying and analysing meteorological phenomena
G. Alexander Sokolowsky, Sean W. Freeman, William K. Jones, Julia Kukulies, Fabian Senf, Peter J. Marinescu, Max Heikenfeld, Kelcy N. Brunner, Eric C. Bruning, Scott M. Collis, Robert C. Jackson, Gabrielle R. Leung, Nils Pfeifer, Bhupendra A. Raut, Stephen M. Saleeby, Philip Stier, and Susan C. van den Heever
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 5309–5330, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5309-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5309-2024, 2024
Short summary
A Lagrangian perspective on the lifecycle and cloud radiative effect of deep convective clouds over Africa
William K. Jones, Martin Stengel, and Philip Stier
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5165–5180, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5165-2024, 2024
Short summary

Related subject area

Subject: Clouds | Technique: Remote Sensing | Topic: Data Processing and Information Retrieval
JAXA Level 2 cloud and precipitation microphysics retrievals based on EarthCARE radar, lidar, and imager: the CPR_CLP, AC_CLP, and ACM_CLP products
Kaori Sato, Hajime Okamoto, Tomoaki Nishizawa, Yoshitaka Jin, Takashi Y. Nakajima, Minrui Wang, Masaki Satoh, Woosub Roh, Hiroshi Ishimoto, and Rei Kudo
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1325–1338, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1325-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1325-2025, 2025
Short summary
Peering into the heart of thunderstorm clouds: insights from cloud radar and spectral polarimetry
Ho Yi Lydia Mak and Christine Unal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1209–1242, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1209-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1209-2025, 2025
Short summary
Retrieving cloud-base height and geometric thickness using the oxygen A-band channel of GCOM-C/SGLI
Takashi M. Nagao, Kentaroh Suzuki, and Makoto Kuji
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 773–792, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-773-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-773-2025, 2025
Short summary
Discriminating between “drizzle or rain” and sea salt aerosols in Cloudnet for measurements over the Barbados Cloud Observatory
Johanna Roschke, Jonas Witthuhn, Marcus Klingebiel, Moritz Haarig, Andreas Foth, Anton Kötsche, and Heike Kalesse-Los
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 487–508, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-487-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-487-2025, 2025
Short summary
Cancellation of cloud shadow effects in the absorbing aerosol index retrieval algorithm of TROPOMI
Victor J. H. Trees, Ping Wang, Piet Stammes, Lieuwe G. Tilstra, David P. Donovan, and A. Pier Siebesma
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 73–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-73-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-73-2025, 2025
Short summary

Cited articles

Aggarwal, J. and Nandhakumar, N.: On the computation of motion from sequences of images-A review, P. IEEE, 76, 917–935, https://doi.org/10.1109/5.5965, 1988. a
Allen, M. R. and Ingram, W. J.: Constraints on future changes in climate and the hydrologic cycle, Nature, 419, 228–232, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01092, 2002. a
Aumann, H. H., Behrangi, A., and Wang, Y.: Increased Frequency of Extreme Tropical Deep Convection: AIRS Observations and Climate Model Predictions, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 13530–13537, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL079423, 2018. a
Austin, P. M.: Relation between Measured Radar Reflectivity and Surface Rainfall, Mon. Weather Rev., 115, 1053–1070, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1987)115<1053:RBMRRA>2.0.CO;2, 1987. a
Baker, S., Scharstein, D., Lewis, J. P., Roth, S., Black, M. J., and Szeliski, R.: A Database and Evaluation Methodology for Optical Flow, Int. J. Comput. Vision, 92, 1–31, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11263-010-0390-2, 2011. a
Download
Short summary
Geostationary weather satellites have been used to detect storm clouds since their earliest applications. However, this task remains difficult as imaging satellites cannot observe the strong vertical winds that are characteristic of storm clouds. Here we introduce a new method that allows us to detect the early development of storms and continue to track them throughout their lifetime, allowing us to study how their early behaviour affects subsequent weather.
Share