Cloud and Water Vapour Observations from Far IR Radiometry
Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Departmental Seminar Series
presents
Cloud and Water Vapour Observations from Far IR Radiometry
a talk by
J.-P. Blanchet
Professor, ESCER Centre, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
The Arctic is most affected by climate change due to polar amplification, primarily driven by the overall water cycle through surface and air interactions. Powerful interactions between, atmospheric water, clouds, precipitation, radiation and general circulation are at the core of climate dynamics in the High Latitudes with an extension of their effect to storm activity to mid latitudes, especially in the cold season. During the polar night, atmospheric water concentration in all phase, tends to be highly tenuous. Since very dry atmosphere become more transparent to infrared radiation, temperature drops more effectively. Hence, the atmospheric dynamics of the polar vortex is greatly strengthened with indirect consequence of storm activity along the midlatitude jet stream. In the high latitudes, atmospheric models are often plagued by warm and moist biases, especially during the polar night. In the context of YOPP and in collaboration with ECCC and CANDAC/PAHA, we are conducting research aimed to improve our capability to monitor key elements of the atmospheric water cycle from far IR observations. Two well equipped polar observation sites, Iqaluit and Eureka in Nunavut, are used to advance the reliability monitoring essential variables of the atmospheric water balance. Spectrally resolved from the mid to far IR instruments, a FIRR (radiometer) and an E-AERI (interferometer), are used together with lidar, radar, profilers and radiosondes to produce comprehensive datasets of water concentration, clouds and precipitation microphysics. Endorsed by YOPP, this project aims to enhance atmospheric water and cloud monitoring, model parameterization and prediction of weather and climate through new ground-based and satellite far IR instruments. The new FIRR instrument is a prototype of the TICFIRE satellite developed for CSA in the context of the Aerosol-Cloud, Convection and Precipitation (A-CCP) program at NASA. In this presentation, I will summarize our research activities.