113 research outputs found

    Use of high-resolution measurements for the retrieval of temperature and gas-concentration profiles from outgoing infrared spectra in the presence of cirrus clouds

    Get PDF
    We explore ways in which high-spectral-resolution measurements can aid in the retrieval of atmospheric temperature and gas-concentration profiles from outgoing infrared spectra when optically thin cirrus clouds are present. Simulated outgoing spectra that contain cirrus are fitted with spectra that do not contain cirrus, and the residuals are examined. For those lines with weighting functions that peak near the same altitude as the thin cirrus, unique features are observed in the residuals. These unique features are highly sensitive to the resolution of the instrumental line shape. For thin cirrus these residual features are narrow (≤0.1 cm-1), so high spectral resolution is required for unambiguous observation. The magnitudes of these unique features are larger than the noise of modern instruments. The sensitivities of these features to cloud height and cloud optical depth are also discussed. Our sensitivity studies show that, when the errors in the estimation of temperature profiles are not large, the dominant contribution to the residuals is the misinterpretation of cirrus. An analysis that focuses on information content is also presented. An understanding of the magnitude of the effect and of its dependence on spectral resolution as well as on spectral region is important for retrieving spacecraft data and for the design of future infrared instruments for forecasting weather and monitoring greenhouse gases

    Longwave Band-by-band Cloud Radiative Effect and its Application in GCM Evaluation

    Get PDF
    The cloud radiative effect (CRE) of each longwave (LW) absorption band of a GCM fs radiation code is uniquely valuable for GCM evaluation because (1) comparing band-by-band CRE avoids the compensating biases in the broadband CRE comparison and (2) the fractional contribution of each band to the LW broadband CRE (f(sub CRE)) is sensitive to cloud top height but largely insensitive to cloud fraction, presenting thus a diagnostic metric to separate the two macroscopic properties of clouds. Recent studies led by the first author have established methods to derive such band ]by ]band quantities from collocated AIRS and CERES observations. We present here a study that compares the observed band-by-band CRE over the tropical oceans with those simulated by three different atmospheric GCMs (GFDL AM2, NASA GEOS-5, and CCCma CanAM4) forced by observed SST. The models agree with observation on the annual ]mean LW broadband CRE over the tropical oceans within +/-1W/sq m. However, the differences among these three GCMs in some bands can be as large as or even larger than +/-1W/sq m. Observed seasonal cycles of f(sub CRE) in major bands are shown to be consistent with the seasonal cycle of cloud top pressure for both the amplitude and the phase. However, while the three simulated seasonal cycles of f(sub CRE) agree with observations on the phase, the amplitudes are underestimated. Simulated interannual anomalies from GFDL AM2 and CCCma CanAM4 are in phase with observed anomalies. The spatial distribution of f(sub CRE) highlights the discrepancies between models and observation over the low-cloud regions and the compensating biases from different bands

    Cloud variability as revealed in outgoing infrared spectra: Comparing model to observation with spectral EOF analysis

    Get PDF
    Spectrally resolved outgoing radiance is a potentially powerful tool for testing climate models. To show how it can be used to evaluate the simulation of cloud variability, which is the principal uncertainty in current climate models, we apply spectral empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis to satellite radiance spectra and synthetic spectra derived from a general circulation model (GCM). We show that proper averaging over a correct timescale is necessary before applying spectral EOF analysis. This study focuses on the Central Pacific and the western Pacific Warm Pool. For both observation and GCM output, cloud variability is the dominant contributor to the first principal component that accounts for more than 95% of the total variance. However, the amplitude of the first principal component derived from the observations (2 ∼ 3.4 W m^(−2)) is 2 ∼ 6 times greater than that of the GCM simulation. This suggests that cloud variability in the GCM is significantly smaller than that in the real atmosphere

    Spectrally Dependent CLARREO Infrared Spectrometer Calibration Requirement for Climate Change Detection

    Get PDF
    Detecting climate trends of atmospheric temperature, moisture, cloud, and surface temperature requires accurately calibrated satellite instruments such as the Climate Absolute Radiance and Reflectivity Observatory (CLARREO). Wielicki et al. have studied the CLARREO measurement requirements for achieving climate change accuracy goals in orbit. Our study further quantifies the spectrally dependent IR instrument calibration requirement for detecting trends of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles. The temperature, water vapor, and surface skin temperature variability and the associated correlation time are derived using Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis data. The results are further validated using climate model simulation results. With the derived natural variability as the reference, the calibration requirement is established by carrying out a simulation study for CLARREO observations of various atmospheric states under all-sky. We derive a 0.04 K (k=2, or 95% confidence) radiometric calibration requirement baseline using a spectral fingerprinting method. We also demonstrate that the requirement is spectrally dependent and some spectral regions can be relaxed due to the hyperspectral nature of the CLARREO instrument. We further discuss relaxing the requirement to 0.06 K (k=2) based on the uncertainties associated with the temperature and water vapor natural variability and relatively small delay in time-to-detect for trends relative to the baseline case. The methodology used in this study can be extended to other parameters (such as clouds and CO2) and other instrument configurations

    Challenges in QCD matter physics - The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR

    Full text link
    Substantial experimental and theoretical efforts worldwide are devoted to explore the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. At LHC and top RHIC energies, QCD matter is studied at very high temperatures and nearly vanishing net-baryon densities. There is evidence that a Quark-Gluon-Plasma (QGP) was created at experiments at RHIC and LHC. The transition from the QGP back to the hadron gas is found to be a smooth cross over. For larger net-baryon densities and lower temperatures, it is expected that the QCD phase diagram exhibits a rich structure, such as a first-order phase transition between hadronic and partonic matter which terminates in a critical point, or exotic phases like quarkyonic matter. The discovery of these landmarks would be a breakthrough in our understanding of the strong interaction and is therefore in the focus of various high-energy heavy-ion research programs. The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR will play a unique role in the exploration of the QCD phase diagram in the region of high net-baryon densities, because it is designed to run at unprecedented interaction rates. High-rate operation is the key prerequisite for high-precision measurements of multi-differential observables and of rare diagnostic probes which are sensitive to the dense phase of the nuclear fireball. The goal of the CBM experiment at SIS100 (sqrt(s_NN) = 2.7 - 4.9 GeV) is to discover fundamental properties of QCD matter: the phase structure at large baryon-chemical potentials (mu_B > 500 MeV), effects of chiral symmetry, and the equation-of-state at high density as it is expected to occur in the core of neutron stars. In this article, we review the motivation for and the physics programme of CBM, including activities before the start of data taking in 2022, in the context of the worldwide efforts to explore high-density QCD matter.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. Published in European Physical Journal

    Measurement of CP asymmetries and branching fraction ratios of B− decays to two charm mesons

    Get PDF
    The CPCP asymmetries of seven BB^- decays to two charm mesons are measured using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9fb19\text{fb}^{-1} of proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment. Decays involving a D0D^{*0} or DsD^{*-}_s meson are analysed by reconstructing only the D0D^0 or DsD^-_s decay products. This paper presents the first measurement of ACP(BDsD0)\mathcal{A}^{CP}(B^- \rightarrow D^{*-}_s D^0) and ACP(BDsD0)\mathcal{A}^{CP}(B^- \rightarrow D^{-}_s D^{*0}), and the most precise measurement of the other five CPCP asymmetries. There is no evidence of CPCP violation in any of the analysed decays. Additionally, two ratios between branching fractions of selected decays are measured.The CP asymmetries of seven B^{−} decays to two charm mesons are measured using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb1^{−1} of proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment. Decays involving a D0^{*0} or Ds {D}_s^{\ast -} meson are analysed by reconstructing only the D0^{0} or Ds {D}_s^{-} decay products. This paper presents the first measurement of ACP \mathcal{A} ^{CP}(B^{−}Ds {D}_s^{\ast -} D0^{0}) and ACP \mathcal{A} ^{CP}(B^{−}Ds {D}_s^{-} D0^{∗0}), and the most precise measurement of the other five CP asymmetries. There is no evidence of CP violation in any of the analysed decays. Additionally, two ratios between branching fractions of selected decays are measured.[graphic not available: see fulltext]The CPCP asymmetries of seven BB^- decays to two charm mesons are measured using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb19\text{ fb}^{-1} of proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment. Decays involving a D0D^{*0} or DsD^{*-}_s meson are analysed by reconstructing only the D0D^0 or DsD^-_s decay products. This paper presents the first measurement of ACP(BDsD0)\mathcal{A}^{CP}(B^- \rightarrow D^{*-}_s D^0) and ACP(BDsD0)\mathcal{A}^{CP}(B^- \rightarrow D^{-}_s D^{*0}), and the most precise measurement of the other five CPCP asymmetries. There is no evidence of CPCP violation in any of the analysed decays. Additionally, two ratios between branching fractions of selected decays are measured

    Near‐Global CFC‐11 Trends as Observed by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder From 2003 to 2018

    Full text link
    Recent studies have indicated a slowdown of the decline of CFC‐11 concentration since 2012. Ground‐based observations used in such studies have their limitations in terms of global coverage. Here we show that the CFC‐11 time‐varying behaviors can be seen by double differencing nadir‐view, clear‐sky brightness temperatures of four AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) channels in an infrared CFC‐11 absorption band. Assuming that CFC‐11 is vertically well mixed through the troposphere, we retrieve CFC‐11 surface concentration and its secular trend using such AIRS observations over the near globe (55°S to 55°N) from January 2003 to December 2018. The retrieved trends of CFC‐11 at the 11 ground sites agree well with the trends derived from in situ measurements at those sites. Our results show that, from 55°S to 55°N, the CFC‐11 trends from January 2003 to December 2012 are all negative, ranging from −2.5 to −1 ppt/year. The trends from January 2003 to December 2018 are less negative by as much as ~0.5–1 ppt/year over the Shandong peninsula, the Arabian Peninsula, and north India and Nepal area, and such differences in the trends are statistically significant. Factors other than the CFC‐11 that can affect the retrievals and trends are also discussed. These findings can help us depict the near‐global spatial distribution of the CFC‐11 trends from 2003 to 2018. The analysis described here has the potential to be used with current and future hyperspectral sounders to help monitor the CFC‐11 from space.Key PointsCFC‐11 long‐term signals can be extracted from the nadir‐viewed infrared sounders such as AIRS using a double differential methodCFC‐11 long‐term trends over each 30° by 10° grid from 55°S to 55°N are estimated from the AIRS clear‐sky radiances from 2003 to 2018The result suggested possible regional slowdowns of the CFC‐11 trend since 2013Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163636/2/jgrd56600_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/163636/1/jgrd56600.pd

    Analysis of Thermal Emission Spectrometer data using spectral EOF and tri-spectral methods

    No full text
    We introduce two new techniques in analyzing martian spectrally resolved radiance data obtained by the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES): spectral empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the tri-spectral algorithm. Spectral EOF analysis allows us to obtain the variability of spectra and associated temporal and spatial patterns. The case study with TES 20° S–20° N data shows that the first principal component (PC1) dominates the total variance and is associated with surface or near-surface brightness temperature variations. The PC2 is associated with atmospheric variability, and a negative correlation between dust and ice absorptions can be clearly seen over many regions. The annual cycle is a major component of the PC1 temporal patterns. The fingerprint of the dust storm can be clearly seen in the PC2 temporal patterns in most areas except the highlands. Spectral EOF can be used for validation of the variability of martian GCMs. The tri-spectral algorithm is based on the differences between three bands (dust, ice and a weak CO_2 absorption band) to distinguish spectra sampled in different situations: water ice cloud, dust, and surface anisothermality. We use a line-by-line radiative transfer model coupled with multiple scattering to investigate the sensitivity of this algorithm to dust and ice optical depth as well as surface emissivity. The comparisons between results of this algorithm and the TES team's retrieved dust and ice opacity are consistent over all studied periods except during the peak of the dust storm. Our algorithm is complementary to the more sophisticated TES retrieval and can be used to screen large amounts of data to get an overview
    corecore