The Italian phase of the EAQUATE measurement campaign

Abstract

The international experiment EAQUATE (European AQUA Thermodynamic Experiment) was held in September 2004 in Italy and in the United Kingdom. The Italian phase, performed in the period 6-10 September 2004, was mainly devoted to assessment and validation of performances of new IR hyperspectral sensors and benefits from data and results of measurements of AQUA and in particular of AIRS. It is also connected with the preparatory actions of MetOp mission with particular attention to calibration and validation of IASI products (as water vapour and temperature profiles), characterization of semitransparent clouds and study of radiative balance, demonstrating the role of ground-based and airborne systems in validation operations.The Italian phase of the campaign was carried out within a cooperation between NASA Langley Research Center, University of Wisconsin, the Istituto di Metodologie per l'Analisi Ambientale (CNR-IMAA), the Mediterranean Agency for Remote Sensing (MARS) and the Universities of Basilicata, Bologna and Napoli. It involved the participation of the Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft (with NAST thermal infrared interferometer and microwave radiometer, the Scanning HIS infrared interferometer, the FIRSC far-IR interferometer), an Earth Observing System-Direct Readout Station and several ground based instruments: four lidar systems, a microwave radiometer, two infrared spectrometers, and a ceilometer. Radiosonde launches for measurements of PTU and wind velocity and direction were also performed as ancillary observations. Four flights were successfully completed with two different AQUA overpasses. The aircraft flew over the Napoli, Potenza and Tito Scalo ground stations several times allowing the collection of coincident aircraft and in- situ observations

Case-study of a principal-component-based radiative transfer forward model and retrieval algorithm using EAQUATE data

“…If radiance spectra are desired, an EOF transformation of the PCRTM calculated PC scores would be performed. Cuomo et al (2005) and Taylor et al (2007) have summarized the EAQUATE campaign and the instruments involved. This study will concentrate on the flight data taken during 9-10 September 2004.…”

Characterization of the variability of the humidity and cloud fields as observed from a cluster of ground-based lidar systems

“…During the Italian phase of the EAQUATE campaign, a large variety of ground-based instrumentation was operational with the goal of providing a reference point for airborne instrumentation utilized for AIRS validation activities (Cuomo et al, 2005). Ground-based instrumentation was distributed in three different locations: Napoli (close to the aircraft take-off site), Tito Scalo, and Potenza.…”

CNR-IMAA integrated measurements for the atmospheric profiling

“…In this section, the synergy between the microwave and lidar techniques has been exploited to identify the presence of supercooled liquid water and to characterize the microphysical processes occurring in high-level clouds. To describe this synergy, a case study relative to detection of an high-level cloud has been selected: the measurements have been performed during the night of the 6-7 September 2004 in the frame of the Italian phase of EAQUATE (European AQUA Thermodynamic Experiment) international measurement campaign 38,39 held in Southern Italy during September 2004. The time series of the vertical profile of the 532 nm aerosol backscattering coefficient for the whole measurement night is reported in Figure 5.1.…”