Estimate of top‐of‐atmosphere albedo for a molecular atmosphere over ocean using Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System measurements

Kato, Seiji; Loeb, Norman G.; Rutledge, C. K.

doi:10.1029/2001jd001309

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Our nightly sigma ∼2% observational uncertainty in each nights measurement of p * corresponds to a deviation in of ∼0 m .02 m ( p *), which implies measuring A to ±0.005. This value is comparable to that from satellite data [ Kato et al , 2002]. From Figure 11, we converted the error in m ( p *) into the error in A , which averaging over a year, implies measuring A to slightly better than 0.005 (or to about 0.003 over 3 years), even though we have observed about a third of the nights in the year.…”

Section: Earth's Bond Albedomentioning

confidence: 54%

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 2. Observations and simulations over 3 years

et al. 2003

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[1] Since late 1998, we have been making sustained measurements of the Earth's reflectance by observing the earthshine from Big Bear Solar Observatory. Further, we have simulated the Earth's reflectance for both the parts of the Earth in the earthshine and for the whole Earth. The simulations employ scene models of the Earth from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment, simulated snow/ice cover, and near-real-time satellite cloud cover data. Broadly, the simulations and observations agree; however, there are important and significant differences, with the simulations showing more muted variations. During the rising phase of the Moon we measure the sunlit world to the west of California, and during the declining lunar phase we measure the sunlit world to the east. Somewhat surprisingly, the one third of the Earth to the west and that to the east have very similar reflectances, in spite of the fact that the topographies look quite different. The part to the west shows less stability, presumably because of the greater variability in the Asian cloud cover. We find that our precision, with steady observations since December 1998, is sufficient to detect a seasonal cycle. We have also determined the annual mean albedos both from our observations and from simulations. To determine a global albedo, we integrate over all lunar phases. Various methods are developed to perform this integration, and all give similar results. Despite sizable variation in the reflectance from night to night and from season to season (which arises from changing cloud cover), we use the earthshine to determine annual albedos to better than 1%. As such, these measurements are significant for measuring climate variation and are complementary to satellite determinations.

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Section: Earth's Bond Albedomentioning

confidence: 54%

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 2. Observations and simulations over 3 years

et al. 2003

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“…We have also solved the problem of the uncertainty in the scattering from the Moon as a function of the phase of the Moon (see section 4). At about 1% precision on individual nights, our terrestrial estimates of the Earth's albedo have a precision comparable to that from satellites like ERBE with around the same value [ Harrison et al , 1990] and to those of the CERES instrumentation, of around 1% [ Kato et al , 2002].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 1. Earthshine observations and measurements of the lunar phase function for accurate measurements of the Earth's Bond albedo

et al. 2003

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[1] We have been making sustained observations of the earthshine from Big Bear Solar Observatory in California since late 1998. We also have intermittent observations from 1994-1995. We have reinvigorated and modernized a nearly forgotten way of measuring the Earth's albedo, and hence its energy balance, previously studied by A. Danjon and his followers for about 25 years early in the last century using their observations of the earthshine from France. This is the first in a series of papers covering observations and simulations of the Earth's reflectance from photometric and spectral observations of the Moon. Here, we develop a modern method of measuring, instantaneously, the large-scale reflectance of the Earth. From California we see the Moon reflecting sunlight from the third of the Earth to the west of us in our evening (before midnight, which is during the Moon's rising phase) and from the third of the Earth to our east in our morning (after midnight, which is during the Moon's declining phase). We have precisely measured the scattering from the Moon as a function of lunar phase, which enables us to measure, in a typical night's observations, the Earth's reflectance to an accuracy of 2.0% (equivalent to measuring the Earth's emission temperature to $0.8 K). We have also identified the lunar phase function as the major source of discrepancy between Danjon's estimates of the albedo and more recent measurements. The albedo is due to the interplay of cloud cover and different landscapes.

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“…We have also eliminated his systematic error by correctly measuring the scattering from the Moon as a function of the phase of the Moon [1]. At about 1% precision on individual nights, our terrestrial estimates of the Earth's albedo have a precision comparable to that from satellites like ERBE with around the same value [5], and to those of the CERES instrumentation, of around 1% [6] making our method sufficiently precise to usefully complement satellite measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Automated Observations of the Earthshine

Goode

Shoumko

Πάλλη

et al. 2010

Advances in Astronomy

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The overall reflectance of sunlight from Earth is a fundamental parameter for climate studies. We have designed and implemented small aperture, remote control telescopes in Big Bear Solar Observatory in California and in Tenerife in the Canary Islands. These telescopes observe the earthshine to obtain a global mean terrestrial reflectance utilizing a coronagraph-like design for long exposures of the dark of the Moon and have internal moving parts in the optical train, which presented some design and control problems.

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Estimate of top‐of‐atmosphere albedo for a molecular atmosphere over ocean using Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System measurements

Cited by 13 publications

References 37 publications

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 2. Observations and simulations over 3 years

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 2. Observations and simulations over 3 years

Earthshine and the Earth's albedo: 1. Earthshine observations and measurements of the lunar phase function for accurate measurements of the Earth's Bond albedo

Automated Observations of the Earthshine

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