GG 646/446 - REMOTE SENSING OF THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE

FALL 1998


The use of satellite and surface-based remote sensing to study atmospheric properties is revolutionizing our understanding of meteorological processes. Weather Satellites view the earth from a global prospective that is unmatched by any other observing system. Satellite and ground-based sensors can measure cloud macro-physical and micro-physical properties, vertical profile of temperature, humidity, ozone, precipitation, and surface properties. Data derived from remote senesing systems are incorporated into both the initialization and validation forecast models, and are being used in the assessment of global and regional climate change.

In this course we will study methods of estimating a variety of atmospheric characteristics using satellite and ground based remote sensing instruments. Visible, near-infrared, and passive and active microwave systems will be examined. Topics to be covered include the physical principles of atmospheric remote sensing, aerosol and cloud property retrieval based on scattering and emission, vertical temperature and humidity profile estimates using atmospheric sounders, and retrieval of precipitation with microwave data. emphasis will be placed on the physicl understanding of measurements from space rather than ways to forecast various features.

Prerequisites: GG302 and GG310 or GG312, or consent of the instructor.


Essentials

Instructor: Jeff Key, Dept of Geography
Office: 441A, Stone Science Building., 353-2841.
Email: jkey@bu.edu
Office hours: M, T, F 2-3; other hours by appointment.
Class time, room: Tues, Thurs 9:30 - 11:00 .a.m. p.m., CAS 323A.
Textbook: Kidder and Von der Haar, Satellite Meteorology, Academic Press, 1995.
Optional (Recommended 
for graduate students):
Stephens,G.L., Remote Sensing of the Lower Atmosphere. Oxford Press, 1994.
Additional readings from scientific journals may also be required for graduate students.

Grading

Problem sets: 60%
Research Project, paper, presentation: 40%.

There will be four (4) problem sets. Each will consist of a number of problems realted to the lecture material. They are take home, open book assignments, due one week after they are given.

The research project may involve radiative transfer modelling, geophysical parameter retrieval alogrithm development, and/or data analysis. The only restriction is that it be related to remote sensing of the atmosphere. The research topic must be approved by the 8th week of class. A 10-20 pages paper and a 20 minutes presentation during one of the last two or three class periods are required.
.

Policies

  1. All assignments must be done at the scheduled times. Makeup assignments are only given with doctors note or a note from the dean. No exceptions.
  2. Late assignments are penalized by 5% per day. Saturdays and Sundays included.
  3. If you miss a class, do not ask me to repeat what was covered in the lectured during my office hours.
  4. Grades will be posted by the new BU ID number (not the Social Security number) unless I receive, in writing, an alternative code from you.
  5. See the college policies about academic honesty and incomplete grades

Topic Outline

Number listed in the reading column are chapters in the Kidder and Vander Haar textbook. This schedule may be adjusted to fit the needs of the class.

Week

Dates

Topic

Reading

Other

9/3  Overview, examples. The inverse problem. 
In practice: ISCCP clouds (video).
---   
9/8, 10  Composition and structure of the atmosphere. 
History of satellite remote sensing.
1
 
9/15, 17  Orbits. 
Radiative transfer. 
 
9/22, 24  Radiative transfer, cont. Problem set 1 assigned 
9/29, 10/1  Radiative transfer, cont.
Gas absorption. 
3
 
Problem set 1 due 
10/6, 8  Meteorological sensors: satellite and ground. 
Atmospheric temperature sounding. 

 
10/13, 15  Sounding, cont.   
10/20, 22  In practice: operational retrieval systems
Gases: ozone. 
Proposal due 
Problem set 2 assigned 
10/27, 29  Gases: water vapor.
Winds: cloud tracking, soundings and stability, ocean surface winds from microwave. 
Problem set 2 due 
10  11/3, 5  Winds, cont.
Cloud properties; clouds from sounders. 
 
11  11/10, 12  Clouds from imagers and passive microwave. 
In practice: International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), CASPR.
 Problem set 3 assigned
12  11/17, 19  Aerosols: stratospheric and tropospheric. 
Precipitation: optical, passive and active microwave sensors.

 Problem set 3 due
13  11/24  Precipitation, cont. 
11/25: NO CLASS 
 
14  12/1, 3  Estimating surface and top of the atmosphere radiative fluxes; sensitivity studies.  10   
15  12/8, 10  Student project presentations.  ---  Paper due
Problem set 4 assigned 
FINAL
EXAM 
12/17
(Thurs.) 
12:30-2:30    Problem set 4 due