Articles | Volume 19, issue 17
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5785-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5785-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 14 Sep 2026
| 14 Sep 2026
Cloud height mapping using multi simultaneous sky images from an all-sky camera network
Celia Herrero del Barrio
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Roberto Román
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Sara Herrero-Anta
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Daniel González-Fernández
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Rogelio Carracedo
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Ramiro González
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Javier Gatón
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Bruno Longarela
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Juan Carlos Antuña-Sánchez
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
David Mateos
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Carlos Toledano
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Abel Calle
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Victoria Cachorro
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
Ángel de Frutos
Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA-UVa), Universidad de Valladolid, 47011, Valladolid, Spain
Laboratory of Disruptive Interdisciplinary Science (LaDIS), Valladolid, Spain
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Preprint withdrawn
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Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 659–675, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-659-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-659-2024, 2024
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This paper applies sun photometer synergies to improve calibration transference between different sun photometers and also enhance their quality assurance and quality control. We have validated this technique using different instrumentation, the WMO-GAW and NASA-AERONET references, under different aerosol regimes using the standard Langley calibration method as a reference.
Óscar Alvárez, África Barreto, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rosa D. García, Julian Gröbner, Sergio F. León-Luis, Eliezer Sepúlveda, Virgilio Carreño, Antonio Alcántara, Ramón Ramos, A. Fernando Almansa, Stelios Kazadzis, Noémie Taquet, Carlos Toledano, and Emilio Cuevas
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4861–4884, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4861-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4861-2023, 2023
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In this work, we have extended the capabilities of a portable Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) instrument, which was originally designed to provide high-quality greenhouse gas monitoring within COCCON (COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network). The extension allows the spectrometer to now also provide coincidentally column-integrated aerosol information. This addition of a reference instrument to a global network will be utilised to enhance our understanding of atmospheric chemistry.
Sara Herrero-Anta, Roberto Román, David Mateos, Ramiro González, Juan Carlos Antuña-Sánchez, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Antonio Fernando Almansa, Daniel González-Fernández, Celia Herrero del Barrio, Carlos Toledano, Victoria E. Cachorro, and Ángel M. de Frutos
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4423–4443, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4423-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4423-2023, 2023
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This paper shows the potential of a simple radiometer like the ZEN-R52 as a possible alternative for aerosol property retrieval in remote areas. A calibration method based on radiative transfer simulations together with an inversion methodology using the GRASP code is proposed here. The results demonstrate that this methodology is useful for the retrieval of aerosol extensive properties like aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol volume concentration for total, fine and coarse modes.
Juan-Carlos Antuña-Marrero, Graham W. Mann, John Barnes, Abel Calle, Sandip S. Dhomse, Victoria E. Cachorro-Revilla, Terry Deshler, Li Zhengyao, Nimmi Sharma, and Louis Elterman
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-272, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-272, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
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Tropospheric and stratospheric aerosol extinction profiles observations from a searchlight at New Mexico, US, were rescued and re-calibrated. Spanning between December 1963 and 1964, they measured the volcanic aerosols from the 1963 Agung eruption. Contemporary and state of the art information were used in the re-calibration. A unique and until the present forgotten/ignored dataset, it contributes current observational and modelling research on the impact of major volcanic eruptions on climate.
África Barreto, Rosa D. García, Carmen Guirado-Fuentes, Emilio Cuevas, A. Fernando Almansa, Celia Milford, Carlos Toledano, Francisco J. Expósito, Juan P. Díaz, and Sergio F. León-Luis
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 11105–11124, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11105-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-11105-2022, 2022
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A comprehensive characterization of atmospheric aerosols in the subtropical eastern North Atlantic has been carried out in this paper using long-term ground AERONET photometric observations over the period 2005–2020 from a unique network made up of four stations strategically located from sea level to 3555 m height on the island of Tenerife. This is a region that can be considered a key location to study the seasonal dependence of dust transport from the Sahel-Sahara.
Victoria Eugenia Cachorro, Juan Carlos Antuña-Sanchez, and Ángel Máximo de Frutos
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 1689–1712, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1689-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-1689-2022, 2022
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This work describes the features of a simple, fast, accurate, and physically based spectral radiative transfer model (SSolar-GOA) in the solar wavelength range under clear skies. The model is intended for a wide community of users for many different applications, was designed to be easily replicated, and has sufficient accuracy. The validation of the model was carried out through extensive comparison with simulated spectra from the LibRadtran and with direct and global spectral measurements.
Roberto Román, Juan C. Antuña-Sánchez, Victoria E. Cachorro, Carlos Toledano, Benjamín Torres, David Mateos, David Fuertes, César López, Ramiro González, Tatyana Lapionok, Marcos Herreras-Giralda, Oleg Dubovik, and Ángel M. de Frutos
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 407–433, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-407-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-407-2022, 2022
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An all-sky camera is used to obtain the relative sky radiance, and this radiance is used as input in an inversion code to obtain aerosol properties. This paper is really interesting because it pushes forward the use and capability of sky cameras for more advanced science purposes. Enhanced aerosol properties can be retrieved with accuracy using only an all-sky camera, but synergy with other instruments providing aerosol optical depth could even increase the power of these low-cost instruments.
Moritz Haarig, Albert Ansmann, Ronny Engelmann, Holger Baars, Carlos Toledano, Benjamin Torres, Dietrich Althausen, Martin Radenz, and Ulla Wandinger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 355–369, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-355-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-355-2022, 2022
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The irregular shape of dust particles makes it difficult to treat them correctly in optical models. Atmospheric measurements of dust optical properties are therefore of great importance. The present study increases the space of observed parameters from 355 and 532 nm towards 1064 nm, which is of special importance for large dust particles. The lidar ratio influenced by mineralogy and the depolarization ratio influenced by shape are measured for the first time at all three wavelengths.
Qiansi Tu, Frank Hase, Matthias Schneider, Omaira García, Thomas Blumenstock, Tobias Borsdorff, Matthias Frey, Farahnaz Khosrawi, Alba Lorente, Carlos Alberti, Juan J. Bustos, André Butz, Virgilio Carreño, Emilio Cuevas, Roger Curcoll, Christopher J. Diekmann, Darko Dubravica, Benjamin Ertl, Carme Estruch, Sergio Fabián León-Luis, Carlos Marrero, Josep-Anton Morgui, Ramón Ramos, Christian Scharun, Carsten Schneider, Eliezer Sepúlveda, Carlos Toledano, and Carlos Torres
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 295–317, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-295-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-295-2022, 2022
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We use different methane ground- and space-based remote sensing data sets for investigating the emission strength of three waste disposal sites close to Madrid. We present a method that uses wind-assigned anomalies for deriving emission strengths from satellite data and estimate their uncertainty to 9–14 %. The emission strengths estimated from the remote sensing data sets are significantly larger than the values published in the official register.
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Short summary
This work presents an automated method to create cloud height maps in near real time using a network of 20 ground-based sky cameras in Valladolid, Spain. By comparing simultaneous images from different locations, the system estimates cloud base and top heights every few minutes over a large area with 50 m resolution. The results agree well with satellite and ceilometer measurements, showing that low-cost camera networks can improve continuous cloud monitoring for weather and climate studies.
This work presents an automated method to create cloud height maps in near real time using a...
