卫星微波被动遥感云中液态水的研究进展

卫星微波被动遥感云中液态水的研究在近30年中取得了较大的进展.卫星遥感仪器的不断进步、探测精度的不断提高为卫星微波被动遥感云中液态水提供了技术和资料保障,在此基础上针对卫星微波被动遥感云中液态水技术而发展的一些统计反演方法和物理反演方法不断地得到改进、完善和提高.文中主要就各个时期发展的主要反演方法做了简要回顾,概括了这些反演方法的关键技术,评述了各自的优点和局限性.由于海表和陆表的辐射特性的巨大差异,分别就海洋上空和陆地上空云中液态水的统计和物理反演技术方法进行了综述,并进行了比较.针对地表比辐射率这一制约陆地上空云中液态水反演技术发展的瓶颈问题,也进行了相关评述和讨论.     

A finite element–spherical harmonics model for radiative transfer in inhomogeneous clouds: Part I. The EVENT model

We present a new numerical radiative transfer model for application to solar radiation transport in three-dimensional (3D) cloudy atmospheres. The code uses the finite element–spherical harmonics (FE–P_N) approximation to solve the second-order even-parity form of the transport equation. It is validated by comparison with solutions from two well-established, deterministic radiative transfer models, the one-dimensional (1D) DISORT code and the spherical harmonics discrete ordinates method (SHDOM). The cases solved show generally good agreement, but also reveal some differences. EVEn-parity Neutral particle Transport (EVENT) is very efficient at performing 1D calculations quickly and, even for quite high angular resolutions, is faster. EVENT also has a competitive speed for the simpler, less-heterogeneous multidimensional cases but it is slower than SHDOM for more variable cases. However, there is significant potential to improve the performance of EVENT; it has not yet been optimised for speed and, as such, is not a finished product. Even as it is, EVENT could be used to produce fast, lower-resolution estimates for applications where this would be sufficient, or at lower-spatial resolutions with partial homogenisation.Another difference between the models is that the SHDOM algorithm is designed for small-scale inhomogeneous cloud fields in which the grid spacing is comparable to the mean free path. Problems arise from the use of larger grid cell optical depths, with an increase in the number of iterations required and a lack of flux conservation. Neither of the models is specifically constrained to conserve flux, but the conservation of flux gives an indication of the accuracy of the solution. Increasing the spatial and angular resolution can improve the accuracy but this is not always possible for very large 3D scenes. The grid-point method of property definition in SHDOM means that it performs best for cases with a continuous variation in extinction as this avoids discontinuities in the source function. The finite clouds used in our tests have sharp boundaries that are easily defined in EVENT but the difficulties caused by these in SHDOM are evident in excesses of up to 10 fluxes.The EVENT mesh resolution is determined by the local optical depth; it has no problem in dense areas but has more trouble in coping with voids or optically thin regions. These conditions are easily handled in SHDOM through streaming of photons along discrete ordinates but EVENT must implement methods such as a ray-tracing algorithm. Cases with extreme values of the extinction coefficient are probably best avoided with EVENT, but slightly larger-scale cases with greater optical depths, not suitable for SHDOM, may be solved more easily. These factors should be considered when selecting the most appropriate method for a particular application.     

A finite element-spherical harmonics model for radiative transfer in inhomogeneous clouds.: Part II. Some applications

EVENT has been used to examine the effects of 3D cloud structure, distribution, and inhomogeneity on the scattering of visible solar radiation and the resulting 3D radiation field. Large eddy simulation and aircraft measurements are used to create realistic cloud fields which are continuous or broken with smooth or uneven tops. The values, patterns and variance in the resulting downwelling and upwelling radiation from incident visible solar radiation at different angles are then examined and compared to measurements. The results from EVENT confirm that 3D cloud structure is important in determining the visible radiation field, and that these results are strongly influenced by the solar zenith angle. The results match those from other models using visible solar radiation, and are supported by aircraft measurements of visible radiation, providing confidence in the new model.