Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4460802 | Remote Sensing of Environment | 2007 | 6 Pages |
The operational retrieval of height-resolved cloud motion vectors by the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer on the Terra satellite has been significantly improved by using sub-pixel approaches to co-registration and disparity assessment, and by imposing stronger quality control based on the agreement between independent forward and aft triplet retrievals. Analysis of the fore-aft differences indicates that CMVs pass the basic operational quality control 67% of the time, with rms differences — in speed of 2.4 m/s, in direction of 17°, and in height assignment of 290 m. The use of enhanced quality control thresholds reduces these rms values to 1.5 m/s, 14° and 165 m, respectively, at the cost of reduced coverage to 45%. Use of the enhanced thresholds also eliminates a tendency for the rms differences to increase with height. Comparison of CMVs from an earlier operational version that had slightly weaker quality control, with 6-hour forecast winds from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office yielded very low bias values and an rms vector difference that ranged from 5 m/s for low clouds to 10 m/s for high clouds.