Analyzing Cloud Water Characteristics in Relation to Anthropogenic Aerosols Using Airborne Microwave Data Collected During the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX)

该项目是国际和平研究所早先的国家科学基金会INDOEX项目(Curry和Liu：机载被动微波测量在INDOEX中的应用，ATM-9910640)的延伸。由于机载成像微波辐射计(AIMR)最初是为极地地区的海冰观测而设计的，他们的首要任务是评估AIMR在INDOEX“热”的环境中用于云反演的适宜性。他们的研究表明，数据质量很好，云中液态水路径的反演值在预期范围内。因此，他们得出结论，这些数据可以用于开展与INDOEX相关的科学问题的研究。本研究的目的是利用1999年INDOEX野外试验期间收集的AIMR和其他辅助资料，分析与人为气溶胶有关的云水特征。该项目支持INDOEX的主要科学目标，提供关于低层云的液态水路径和特征云粒大小的水平分布的信息(以及使用空中可见测量)，以帮助解释气溶胶对辐射通量的间接影响。这项工作很重要，因为它将有助于更好地了解气溶胶对气候变化的影响。

This project is an extension of the PI's earlier NSF INDOEX project (Curry and Liu: Application of airborne passive microwave measurements for INDOEX, ATM-9910640). Because Airborne Imaging Microwave Radiometer (AIMR) was originally designed for sea ice observations in the polar region, their first task was to assess the suitability of using AIMR for cloud retrievals in the "hot" environment of INDOEX. Their study showed that the data are of good quality and retrieved values of cloud liquid water path are within the expected range. Therefore, they concluded that these data can be used to conduct research on INDOEX related science issues. The purpose of the present study is to analyze the cloud water characteristics in relation to anthropogenic aerosols using AIMR and other ancillary data collected during 1999 INDOEX field experiment. This project supports INDOEX primary scientific objectives by providing information on horizontal distributions of liquid water path and characteristic cloud particle size (together with using airborne visible measurements) for low-level clouds, to aid in the interpretation of the indirect effect of aerosols on the radiative fluxes. This work is important because it will contribute to enhanced understanding of the influence of aerosols on climate change.