Details of Award
NERC Reference : NER/A/S/2003/00371
A first analysis of far infrared spectra from the EMERALD II campaign: a clear sky and cirrus case study.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor JC Pickering, Imperial College London, Physics
- Co-Investigator:
- Professor JE Harries, Imperial College London, Physics
- Grant held at:
- Imperial College London, Physics
- Science Area:
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Science Topics:
- Water In The Atmosphere
- Radiative Processes & Effects
- Tropospheric Processes
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- Much effort has gone into modelling studies investigating predictions of climate change. This will occur if the balance between heating (energy from the sun) and cooling (emission to space in the infrared) is disturbed. The processes involved in heating and cooling are controlled by a wide range of interactions. In order to be reliable and meaningful, models simulating the atmosphere and climate should be based on real observations, and this is the case in the near IR and visible range of the spectrum. Until recently there were no measurements in the far-IR which has been found to be crucial to understanding of the emission processes in the atmosphere as a significant proportion of energy is emitted from the earth to space in this spectral region. The role of clouds and their interaction with the radiation field in the far infrared needs urgent study; particularly important are cold, high cirrus clouds and their emission, and these are notoriously difficult to simulate. The Imperial College TAFTS (Tropospheric Airborne Fourier Transform Spectrometer) instrument is the first successfully to record spectra in the far infrared onboard an aircraft, providing much needed real observations. We are proposing a case study to investigate the properties of cirrus clouds using new far infrared spectra of up and down welling radiation measured by TAFTS. These spectra were recorded during the EMERALD II (Egrett Microphysics Experiment with Radiation Lidar and Dynamics in the Tropics) campaign in Australia at altitudes up to 45,00 feet and include measurements of clear and cloudy sky. The spectra, in conjunction with in-situ microphysics and ground-based measurements will enable the issue of cirrus cloud scattering in the infrared (expected peak around 400 cm-1) to be examined and thus allow a validation of current cirrus models which are not based on any real observations. This will have a large impact on reliability of models of climate change and understanding of radiative transfer in the earth's atmosphere.
- NERC Reference:
- NER/A/S/2003/00371
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Standard Grants Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Standard Grant
This grant award has a total value of £94,507
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - T&S | Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs | Total - Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £2,475 | £59,115 | £722 | £27,193 | £5,000 |
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