Comparing cloud fraction retrievals from different platforms over the Amazon

• Grant number: 16/24031-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Meteorology
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Lima Correia
• Grantee: Danilo Lessa Bernardineli
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research plan will compare cloud fraction estimates over the Amazon, in retrievals from different platforms. The clouds impact over climate is a current research topic, since clouds in average are responsible for about 47.5% of planetary albedo (Stephens et al., 2012). Over a defined area, cloud cover is the most relevant macroscopic property to determine the incident solar flux. However, there are still large divergences on the methodologies to quantify this fundamental property in radiative transfer processes. One reason for this is the lack of systematic analyses of physical properties of clouds, considering the inherent instrumental limitations. This research project will compare robust statistical results between measurements in different platforms, to assess cloud fraction estimates over a region in the Amazon Basin. This project will help expanding the scientific knowledge on a fundamental property for clouds, helping understanding the limitations and uncertainties associated to different analysis techniques. The estimation of cloud fraction over the Amazon is critical for climate analyses in regional and global spatial scales. (AU)