An empirical technique for estimating near-surface air temperature trends in central Greenland from SSM/I brightness temperatures

Abstract

In central Greenland, near-surface air temperatures can be estimated from long-term satellite passive microwave brightness temperatures supported by limited air-temperature data from automatic weather stations. In this region, brightness temperature depends on snow emissivity, which varies slowly over time, and on snow temperature, which varies more rapidly and is controlled by air temperature. The air temperature and brightness temperature data define an emissivity trend which can be modeled as an annual sinusoid. An air temperature trend can then be derived from the brightness temperature and modeled emissivity information. The estimated air temperature values represent an integrated near-surface value that defines the overall temperature trend at the Greenland Summit. The modeled emissivity cycle allows daily-average air temperatures to be estimated across significant gaps in weather station records, as well as quality control of their temperature data. The technique also generates annual trends of emissivity which can be used to evaluate radiative transfer models of microwave emissivity from dry firn.