Optical properties of thin cirrus derived from the infrared channels of SEVIRI

Abstract

Since April 2006 signiEicant progress on the research and observation of thin cirrus clouds was achieved by the use of new remote sensing technologies aboard the Cloud-­‐Aerosol Lidar and Infrared PathEinder Satellite (CALIPSO). With its high vertical and horizontal resolution the Cloud-­‐Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) provides detailed proEiles of optical properties especially of cirrus clouds and aerosol. But to investigate the lifecycle of cirrus clouds high temporal resolution is needed. The Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) aboard MSG every 5 -­‐ 15 minutes provides brightness temperatures for seven infrared channels, making a day and night time observation of clouds possible. In the following, the COCS algorithm (Cirrus Optical properties derived from CALIOP and SEVIRI) combining the advantages of both satellite instruments, Eirst diurnal cycles of cirrus cloud ice optical thickness (IOT) and top altitude (TOP) are shown.