Temporal evolution of cloudiness from Aura satellite data

• Grant number: 12/21776-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2013
• End date: June 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Thermal Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Dal Pai
• Grantee: Thiago Henrique Fernandes Osses
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia de Botucatu (FATEC Botucatu). Centro Paula Souza (CEETEPS). Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The objective is to perform the annual and diurnal evolution of the cloudiness fraction from the Aura satellite data. Based on these data, the aim is also to compare the satellite cloudiness with respect to the surface horizontal cloudiness measurements by Kt atmospheric transmissivity (ratio of global irradiance and extraterrestrial). Thus it is expected to obtain a satellite classification methodology of the sky coverage. Satellite data are important in many applications, such as foto-thermo conversion. The cloudiness and cloud pressure data are monitored by the OMI instrument (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) aboard the Aura satellite and will be available from GES DISC (Goddard Earth Science Data and Information Services Center), linked to NASA. The global solar radiation data will be provided by the Laboratory of Solar Radiometry of Botucatu, FCA-UNESP-SP (latitude 22.9 º S, 48.45 º E longitude altitude 786m) in the period of 2005 to 2011.(AU)