Publisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
The feasibility of deriving cloud motion vectors from data to be obtained by the Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) is demonstrated. It is shown that from a triplet of near-simultaneous multi-angle imagery cloud motion and height can be separated. The expected errors in the calculated cloud top height and cloud velocity are approximately 300 m and 3 rn/s, respectively, with the cross-track velocities being more accurate than the along-track ones. The possibility of determining the speeds of individual layers in a 2-layer configuration is also illustrated. The necessary conditions for separating cloud height and motion and the optimal choice of wind retrieval cameras are discussed. A 3-D ray intersection algorithm is derived to simultaneously compute cloud top height and speed. The algorithm is tested on simulated clear-sky and cloudy datasets. Possible applications of MISR winds include studies of large-scale average wind patterns or synoptic-scale phenomenon, and numerical weather prediction.Type
textThesis-Reproduction (electronic)
Degree Name
M.S.Degree Level
mastersDegree Program
Graduate CollegeAtmospheric Sciences