Combined high frequency microwave, visible and infrared and lidar sensing of tropical clouds from the ER-2 high altitude aircraft

An extensive set of combined visible, infrared, microwave and lidar observations for high tropical clouds were obtained during the TOGA/COARE field experiment from the ER-2 high altitude aircraft. Approximately ten flights from Australia to the West Pacific warm pool region north of New Guinea were flown. Some flights involved simultaneous in situ measurements of cloud microphysics and radiation by the DC-8 aircraft with excellent coordination between the aircraft. The two basic types of cloud systems that were studied were tropical convective systems and thin to moderately thick cirrus that covered large areas of the study legion both within the warm pool area and in the transit region to NE Australia. The two main objectives to the NASA field study were a study of the radiation influence and parameters of high tropical clouds and precipitation remote sensing of tropical convection. The authors consider the application of multi sensor remote sensing of tropical high clouds leading to radiation parameterization and influence. The experiment was the first in which airborne millimeter wavelength microwave radiometry was combined with vis/IR multispectral imaging: and active lidar measurements to define cloud structure.<>