Diagnosing and quantifying uncertainties of the reanalyzed clouds, precipitation and radiation budgets over the Arctic and SGP using combined surface-satellite observations

Diagnosing and quantifying uncertainties of the reanalyzed clouds, precipitation and

radiation budgets over the Arctic and SGP using combined surface-satellite observations

PI: Xiquan Dong, University of North Dakota

Co-Is:  Baike Xi and Aaron Kennedy. Three Ph.D students will involve in this project.

There are two objectives:1) Quantifying the uncertainties of reanalysed Arctic cloud-radiation properties using satellite-surface observations, 2) Investigating the reanalyzed hydrological clcyle at the SGP region.

Anticipated Results:

We will use an innovative diagnostic method to

(1) quantify the uncertainties of reanalyzed cloud-radiation-repcipitation

(2) Compare the five reanalyzed results with observations, find their similarities and differences, and

(3) investigate how these differences relate to large-scale dynamic patterns and variables using Self Organizing Maps (SOM) method.

Reanalyses and Datasets

Reanalyses: (1) CFS, (ii) 20CR, (iii) MERRA, (iv) ERA-I, and (v) JRA-25.

Datatsets:

1) Satellite observations:

a) CERES EBAF: TOA and surface radiation fluxes

b) CERES-MODIS: Cloud properties: CF, LWP/IWP, re.

c) CloudSat/CALIPSO (CC): CF, LWP/IWP, re.

d) TRMM and GPCP precipitation products over SGP

2) Surface observations

a) Cloud-Precipitation Products at SGP: UND hybrid radar/GOES cloud-precipitation product, Oklahoma Mesonet, and NEXRAD Q2. 

b) DOE ARM NSA and SGP cloud and radiation data

c) BSRN and other surface observations over Arctic

Some progress was presented in 20131217 and 20140326 Telecoms.

Presentation at 20131217 telecon

Presentation at 20140326 telecon