The Effect of a Nonuniform Planetary Albedo on the Interpretation of Earth Radiation Budget Observations

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Abstract
The flux density measured at satellite altitude with a fixed field of view radiometer differs from the true flux density reflected by the earth-atmosphere system within the field of view of the radiometer. This difference is due to angular response characteristics of the radiometer, solid angle effects due to geometry, and angular reflectance effects of the earth-atmosphere system. All of these effects lead to uncertainties in the interpretation of instantaneous earth radiation budget measurements. The differences between the true flux density and the measured flux density are shown to be significant when the field of view of the radiometer is, large and when the atmosphere has a nonuniform, or spatially dependent, reflectance (albedo). A simulation experiment is described whereby the scene within the field of view of a nadir looking sensor is divided into a large number of equal area elements, each of which reflects radiation with one of two different reflectance models (corresponding to cloud-f... Abstract The flux density measured at satellite altitude with a fixed field of view radiometer differs from the true flux density reflected by the earth-atmosphere system within the field of view of the radiometer. This difference is due to angular response characteristics of the radiometer, solid angle effects due to geometry, and angular reflectance effects of the earth-atmosphere system. All of these effects lead to uncertainties in the interpretation of instantaneous earth radiation budget measurements. The differences between the true flux density and the measured flux density are shown to be significant when the field of view of the radiometer is, large and when the atmosphere has a nonuniform, or spatially dependent, reflectance (albedo). A simulation experiment is described whereby the scene within the field of view of a nadir looking sensor is divided into a large number of equal area elements, each of which reflects radiation with one of two different reflectance models (corresponding to cloud-f...

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