DETERMINATION OF CLOUD LIQUID WATER-CONTENT USING THE SSM/I

As part of a Calibration/Validatiun efurt for tbe special sensur Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), coincident observations of SSM/I brightness temperatures and surface-based observations of clond liquid water were ubtained. These observations were used to validate initial algorithms and to derive an improved algorithm. The initial algorithms were divided into latitudinal-, seasonal-, and snrface-type zones. It was found that these initial algorithms, which were of the D-matrix type, did not yield snfciently accurate results. The surface-based measurements were used to derive new matrix coefcients. Varions combinations of channels were investigated; however, the 85V channel was excluded because of excessive noise. It was found that there is no sig-nifcant correlation between the SSM/I brightness temperatures and the snrface-based cloud liquid water determination when the back-ground surface is land or snow. A high correlation is found between brightness temperatures and ground-based measurements over the ocean. © 1990 IEEE