Paper Info
Title
Asymmetry in the Diurnal Variation of Surface Albedo
Abstract
Remote sensing of surface properties and estimation of clear-sky and surface albedo generally assumes that the albedo depends only on the solar zenith angle. The effects of dew, frost, and precipitation as well as evaporation and wind can lead to some systematic diurnal variability resulting in an asymmetric diurnal cycle of albedo. This paper examines the symmetry of both surface-observed albedos and top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) albedos derived from satellite data. Broadband and visible surface albedos were measured at the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Southern Great Plains Central Facility, at some fields near the ARM site, and over a coniferous forest in eastern Virginia. Surface and wind conditions are available for most cases. GOES-8 satellite radiance data are converted to broadband albedo using bidirectional reflectance functions and an empirical narrowband-to-broadband relationship. The initial results indicate that surface moisture has a significant effect and can change the albedo in the afternoon by 20 percent relative to its morning counterpart. Such effects may need to be incorporated in mesoscale and even large-scale models of atmospheric processes.
Year
DOI
Venue
1997
10.1109/36.602530
IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing
Keywords
Field
DocType
infrared,diurnal variation,atmosphere,precipitation,diurnal cycle,albedo,radiometers,meteorology,dew,frost,forestry,remote sensing,optical imaging
Atmosphere,Cloud albedo,Diurnal temperature variation,Computer science,Remote sensing,Mesoscale meteorology,Albedo,Solar zenith angle,Atmospheric sciences,Diurnal cycle,Radiance
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
35
4
0196-2892
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
7
2.65
0
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Patrick Minnis111327.45
Shalini Mayor272.65
William L. Smith3104.53
David F. Young47217.96